Canadian citizenship test · Discover Canada chapter 1 · 5 min read

Where Canadian rights come from, Magna Carta and habeas corpus, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the equality of women and men, the duties of a citizen and the ways to help defend Canada. Study notes for the Canadian citizenship test.

Why this chapter matters

Every Canadian citizenship test is built on the official guide, Discover Canada, and this section sets out the ideas the rest of the guide keeps returning to: rights, the rule of law and the duties that come with being a citizen. Expect questions that ask you to tell a right (something you are entitled to) from a responsibility (something you are expected or required to do).

Where our rights come from

Canadian rights and duties grow out of history, are protected by law and reflect shared values. The guide names several sources of Canadian law:

• English common law;
• the civil code of France;
• the unwritten constitution that Canada inherited from Great Britain; and
• the laws made by Parliament and by the provincial legislatures.

Together they give Canada a tradition of "ordered liberty" that goes back about 800 years to Magna Carta, signed in England in 1215 and also called the Great Charter of Freedoms.

The fundamental freedoms

The guide lists four freedoms that come from this tradition:

• freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, which covers freedom of speech and of the press;
• freedom of conscience and religion;
• freedom of association; and
• freedom of peaceful assembly.

Habeas corpus, also from English common law, is the right to challenge being held by the state without lawful reason.

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms

In 1982 the Constitution of Canada was amended to entrench the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter begins by naming two principles on which Canada is founded: the supremacy of God and the rule of law.

The Charter sums up the fundamental freedoms and adds further rights. The guide picks out these as the most important:

• Mobility rights: Canadians may settle and work in any part of Canada, come and go across its borders freely and apply for a passport.
• Aboriginal peoples' rights: the Charter's guarantees do not take away from treaty rights or other rights of Aboriginal peoples.
• Official language rights and minority language educational rights: English and French have equal status in Parliament and across the federal government.
• Multiculturalism: a basic part of Canadian heritage and identity, where people respect pluralism and try to live in harmony.

Equality of women and men

Women and men are equal under the law in Canada. Canada does not tolerate practices such as forced marriage, spousal abuse, so-called "honour killings", female genital mutilation or any other gender-based violence. People guilty of these crimes face severe punishment under the criminal law.

The responsibilities of citizenship

Rights come with duties. The guide lists six:

1. Obeying the law. The rule of law is a founding principle: people and governments are bound by law, not by arbitrary decisions, and nobody is above the law.
2. Taking responsibility for yourself and your family. Getting a job, caring for your family and working hard to the best of your ability are core values; work brings dignity and builds Canada's prosperity.
3. Serving on a jury. If you are called, you are legally required to serve. Juries of impartial citizens make the justice system work.
4. Voting in elections. Having the right to vote brings a duty to use it in federal, provincial or territorial, and local elections.
5. Helping others in the community. Millions of Canadians volunteer without pay, for example at a food bank, a charity or a child's school, or by helping newcomers settle in.
6. Protecting and enjoying our heritage and environment. Every citizen should avoid waste and pollution and help protect Canada's natural, cultural and architectural heritage for future generations.

Exam tip: voting and jury service are the two that most often trip people up. Voting is a right and a responsibility; jury duty is a legal obligation when you are summoned.

Defending Canada

There is no compulsory military service in Canada. The guide calls service in the regular Canadian Forces (navy, army and air force) a noble way to contribute and a good career choice. You can also:

• join the part-time reserves (naval reserve, militia or air reserve);
• serve in the Coast Guard, or in local emergency services such as the police or fire department;
• for young people, join the cadets to learn discipline, responsibility and skills.

Check yourself

1. Name the four sources of Canadian law that the guide lists.
2. In what year was Magna Carta signed, and in which country?
3. What does habeas corpus protect you from?
4. Which right in the Charter lets you move to another province to work?
5. Is military service compulsory in Canada?