35th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Speech

Remarks for the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of Democratic Institutions.

April 11, 2017, Harbord Collegiate Institute, Toronto

Check against delivery. This speech has been translated in accordance with the Government of Canada’s official languages policy and edited for posting and distribution in accordance with its communications policy.

Thanks so much to Principal Vince Meade, Toronto District School Board Superintendent Mike Gallagher, Trustee Ausma Malik, and everyone involved in putting together this event. Thank you, as well, to Minister Albanese for being with us here today. I want to also acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation.

I should note that I will be speaking primarily in English. But if any of you want to pose a question in French I would be delighted to respond in kind. This is also being broadcast on Facebook Live, and while I realize most of you speak English, there may be some watching right now who are more comfortable in our other official language.

I’m here to help the government of Canada mark the 35th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  I want to talk about your democratic rights and responsibilities, and how you can work with me and others to generate more public participation in our democracy.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked me in January to be Canada’s Minister of Democratic Institutions.  I see myself as a steward of Canada’s democratic institutions and traditions. My role is to improve, strengthen and protect Canadian democracy. I was honoured by this appointment, since in my view this is a matter that touches every Canadian.  A healthy democracy and effective democratic institutions are among the most striking features of our identity as a country.

An important part of my mandate is to encourage young Canadians to be engaged in our democracy.

As Principal Meade noted, I’m a bit younger than your average politician.

I have to say that being a young person in politics – like in life -- has its challenges.  I would also say that being a young woman in politics has additional challenges.

I remember going door-to-door during the 2015 election campaign to introduce myself to voters, and ask for their support.  One older gentleman said, “How OLD are you?” I said: “How old are You???” He smiled, and said “fair enough” and we had a discussion about policy.

What this man came to understand was that I had EVERY right to do what I was doing. This, in fact, is the reason I decided to seek a seat in Parliament three years ago. I tell people that this is the most important time for me to be involved. The policies and laws that will be adopted, such as on climate change, will have an impact on me for a significant part of my adult life. So I want to have a say in my future – and the future of my generation.

As I mentioned, this month Canada is celebrating the 35th anniversary of the day Queen Elizabeth signed into law our new Constitution.

This new Constitution included a new Charter, which guarantees a number of rights and freedoms as part of the supreme law of the land.

I’d like to talk a moment about section 3 of the Charter, which recognizes the right of citizens to vote and stand as candidates in elections.

You’d think this is a right so obvious we wouldn’t need to put it in writing. But there have been long periods in our history when some groups of Canadians – women and Indigenous Canadians, for example – weren’t allowed to vote. The history of democracy in Canada is, in part, a history of the efforts of those who have worked, debated, and fought to expand voting rights to all Canadians.

And the inclusion of voting rights in the Charter was an important step forward in this ongoing effort to make our democracy as inclusive as possible. It has resulted in more and more people being able to vote. Judges have interpreted Section 3 to mean Canadians must have the right to meaningful participation and effective representation in the democratic process.

This has, for instance, made it easier for smaller parties to participate in elections.  It has also helped expand the number of people allowed to vote.

We’re also acting right now on that front. We’ve proposed in Parliament a new law that will make it easier for Canadians, including students living away from home for the first time, to vote.

This law will also allow Canadians ages 14-17 to enter their names in what we’re calling the National Register of Future Electors.

By doing this, you’ll automatically be registered to vote the day you celebrate your 18th birthday.

And that brings us to an important message I have for you. The Charter talks about rights and freedoms, but we as citizens also have duties and obligations.

Democracy isn’t inevitable. In many countries democratic freedoms are – today – being reduced. In fact, an organization called Freedom House – which studies the state of democracy around the world – has reported that freedoms have declined around the world for 10 straight years. Well over half of the world’s population live in countries where freedoms are limited, sometimes severely, by governments.

So I hope we as Canadians can appreciate what we have, and take steps to not only defend our democracy but make it better.

You will soon have an opportunity, when you turn 18, to take part in one of the most significant and important responsibilities in our democracy – you will be able to vote.

But I don’t think casting a ballot, as important as that is, should be the extent of your participation. And you can start right now.

Becoming involved could simply mean a discussion over lunch about an issue you feel passionate about. You could volunteer for a charity.  Sign a petition. Become a mindful consumer. The opportunities are endless. Many of you are probably already doing many of these things.

And clearly the digital age offers Canadians incredible opportunities for you to engage.

As you know, we can share information – a news story, a compelling speech, an eye-popping video – online in the blink of an eye. In today’s digital world, the circulation of information can draw us together to take part in a democratic debate.

But in the wrong hands, the tools of the digital age can also be used to divide us -- and harm our democracy. I can tell you that our government is determined to do all we can to prevent those who seek to damage our vital institutions from doing so.

The digital age can also confine us.  It is human nature to follow on social media people who share our views. And some search engines and social media sites choose ads based on a user’s browser history.

This means that the type of information we are exposed to is most often information we have self-selected – or has been curated for us. If we’re not careful we can all end up in silos, surrounded by like-minded people and media reinforcing our entrenched beliefs, never being challenged to see things from a new perspective.

When you consider that the strength of real democracy is a number of different voices and views coming together and debating, discussing and examining important issues in a constructive and respectful way – not being exposed to other points of views means our views are left unchallenged.  And this in turn can ultimately harm our democracy.

I think it is up to each and every one of us to make an effort to question our own opinions.  How can we change this or keep this from happening?  How can we all make sure that everyone’s views are represented in our democracy?

This is why I’m exploring an idea I call “citizen literacy.” Just as we need to develop math or language skills, we also must seek out the tools and knowledge that help us navigate our way through conflicting versions of the truth. To fully participate, we need to have the right information so we can all enter into the conversations and issues with well-informed views. We also must be able to listen to and appreciate the views of others.

I would like to finish by asking you to think about a number of questions how do we, as governments and as citizens, strengthen our democracy?  How do we get new participants like you involved in a system that makes key decisions about how we live and treat each other?

I’d like you to send me a tweet – @CDNDemocracy. Tell me your thoughts on these issues. Or simply share with me what voting, and democracy, mean to you. Please use the hashtag #Charter35.

With that, let’s open the floor to your questions!

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