Which activities are governed by the Charter and which are not?

The provided resources should help in answering any questions for which you may have and assist with you with the higher purpose of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (also known as The Charter of Rights and Freedoms or simply the Charter).


The Charter was intended to be a source for national values and national unity. As Professor Alan Cairns noted, "The initial federal government premise was on developing a pan-Canadian identity."[22] Trudeau himself later wrote in his Memoirs that "Canada itself" could now be defined as a "society where all people are equal and where they share some fundamental values based upon freedom," and that all Canadians could identify with the values of liberty and equality.[23]

The United States Bill of Rights influenced the text of the Charter, but its rights provisions are interpreted more conservatively. Canadian and American cases nevertheless sometimes have similar outcomes because the broader Charter rights are limited by section 1 of the Charter.

In its entirety:
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms