[homeles_ot-l] April 17th - let's celebrate!!

[Linda Lalonde]

My Fellow Canadians,




 
which is, of course, an inclusive term referring to people who are resident in this country not only its citizens,




 
I remember very clearly where I was thirty years ago this Tuesday. Not that it will surprise some of you but I was somewhere I wasn't supposed to be. With the assistance of some members of the fourth estate, I was in the front rows on Parliament Hill when the Queen signed the Charter of Rights and Freedoms into existence.




 
Apparently, the current government intends to mark the 30th anniversary of the patriation of the Canadian Constitution and the creation of the Charter by issuing a press release. And that's it. As someone who has issued my fair share of press releases, I am well aware of the amount of time, energy, thought and commitment which it entails and so feel fairly confident in suggesting that it would have easily been possible for the government to go just a little further. 




 
Unless, of course, they don't think the Constitution and Charter are things of importance for our country. Although they are putting time and money into commemorating the anniversary of the War of 1812.




 
It was a Tory Prime Minister who brought us the Bill of Rights which he saw as "the only way to stop the march on the part of the government towards arbitrary power". The protections it gave us were strengthened and enhanced by the Charter. Now why wouldn't the current Tory government feel the same? Could it be because human rights and civil liberties are getting in the way of their "march ... towards arbitrary power"?




 
So I would be very happy if ordinary people put some thought into ways each of us can observe the Charter anniversary as well as ways we can continue to realise and enhance the rights and freedoms we have. Please find some opportunity to make this a part of your day on Tuesday - and, of course, once you've done it this Tuesday, you should keep on doing it until we get to where we ought to be.




 
Linda.
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