×

We use cookies to help make LingQ better. By visiting the site, you agree to our cookie policy.


image

Discover Canada, 5. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

5. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

Canadian citizens have rights and responsibilities. These come to us from our history, are secured by Canadian law, and reflect our shared traditions, identity, and values.

Canadian law has several sources, including laws passed by Parliament and the provincial legislatures, English common law, the civil code of France and the unwritten constitution that we have inherited from Great Britain.

Together, these secure for Canadians an 800- year old tradition of ordered liberty, which dates back to the signing of Magna Carta in 1215 in England (also known as the Great Charter of Freedoms), including:

Freedom of conscience and religion;

Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of speech and of the press;

Freedom of peaceful assembly; and

Freedom of association.

Habeas corpus, the right to challenge unlawful detention by the state, comes from English common law.

The Constitution of Canada was amended in 1982 to entrench the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which begins with the words, “Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.” This phrase underlines the importance of religious traditions to Canadian society and the dignity and worth of the human person.

The Charter attempts to summarize fundamental freedoms while also setting out additional rights. The most important of these include:

Mobility Rights — Canadians can live and work anywhere they choose in Canada, enter and leave the country freely, and apply for a passport.

Aboriginal Peoples' Rights — The rights guaranteed in the Charter will not adversely affect any treaty or other rights or freedoms of Aboriginal peoples. Official Language Rights and Minority Language Educational Rights — French and English have equal status in Parliament and throughout the government.

Multiculturalism — A fundamental characteristic of the Canadian heritage and identity. Canadians celebrate the gift of one another's presence and work hard to respect pluralism and live in harmony. Photo:

Queen Elizabeth II proclaiming the amended Constitution, Ottawa, 1982

The Equality of Women and Men

In Canada, men and women are equal under the law. Canada's openness and generosity do not extend to barbaric cultural practices that tolerate spousal abuse, “honour killings,” female genital mutilation, forced marriage or other gender-based violence. Those guilty of these crimes are severely punished under Canada's criminal laws. Citizenship Responsibilities

In Canada, rights come with responsibilities. These include:

Obeying the law — One of Canada's founding principles is the rule of law. Individuals and governments are regulated by laws and not by arbitrary actions. No person or group is above the law.

Taking responsibility for oneself and one's family — Getting a job, taking care of one's family and working hard in keeping with one's abilities are important Canadian values. Work contributes to personal dignity and self-respect, and to Canada's prosperity. Serving on a jury — When called to do so, you are legally required to serve. Serving on a jury is a privilege that makes the justice system work as it depends on impartial juries made up of citizens.

Voting in elections — The right to vote comes with a responsibility to vote in federal, provincial or territorial and local elections.

Helping others in the community — Millions of volunteers freely donate their time to help others without pay—helping people in need, assisting at your child's school, volunteering at a food bank or other charity, or encouraging newcomers to integrate. Volunteering is an excellent way to gain useful skills and develop friends and contacts.

Protecting and enjoying our heritage and environment — Every citizen has a role to play in avoiding waste and pollution while protecting Canada's natural, cultural and architectural heritage for future generations. Defending Canada

There is no compulsory military service in Canada. However, serving in the regular Canadian Forces (navy, army and air force) is a noble way to contribute to Canada and an excellent career choice (www.forces.ca). You can serve in your local part-time navy, militia and air reserves and gain valuable experience, skills and contacts. Young people can learn discipline, responsibility, and skills by getting involved in the cadets (www.cadets.ca).

You may also serve in the Coast Guard or emergency services in your community such as a police force or fire department. By helping to protect your community, you follow in the footsteps of Canadians before you who made sacrifices in the service of our country.

5. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship 5. Rechte und Pflichten der Staatsbürgerschaft 5. Derechos y responsabilidades de la ciudadanía 5. Droits et responsabilités de la citoyenneté 5. Diritti e responsabilità della cittadinanza 5.市民としての権利と責任 5. 시민권자의 권리와 책임 5. Pilietybės teisės ir pareigos 5. Prawa i obowiązki wynikające z obywatelstwa 5. Direitos e responsabilidades da cidadania 5. Права и обязанности гражданства 5. Vatandaşlık Hak ve Sorumlulukları 5. Права та обов'язки громадянства 5. 公民的权利和义务 5. 公民的權利義務

Canadian citizens have rights and responsibilities. Les citoyens canadiens ont des droits et des responsabilités. These come to us from our history, are secured by Canadian law, and reflect our shared traditions, identity, and values. Ils nous viennent de notre histoire, sont garantis par le droit canadien et reflètent nos traditions, notre identité et nos valeurs communes.

Canadian law has several sources, including laws passed by Parliament and the provincial legislatures, English common law, the civil code of France and the unwritten constitution that we have inherited from Great Britain. Le droit canadien a plusieurs sources, notamment les lois adoptées par le Parlement et les assemblées législatives provinciales, la common law anglaise, le code civil français et la constitution non écrite que nous avons héritée de la Grande-Bretagne.

Together, these secure for Canadians an 800- year old tradition of ordered liberty, which dates back to the signing of Magna Carta in 1215 in England (also known as the Great Charter of Freedoms), including: Ensemble, ils garantissent aux Canadiens une tradition de liberté ordonnée vieille de 800 ans, qui remonte à la signature de la Magna Carta en 1215 en Angleterre (également connue sous le nom de Grande Charte des Libertés) : Em conjunto, estas medidas garantem aos canadianos uma tradição de 800 anos de liberdade ordenada, que remonta à assinatura da Magna Carta em 1215, em Inglaterra (também conhecida como a Grande Carta das Liberdades), incluindo:

Freedom of conscience and religion; Liberté de conscience et de religion ;

Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of speech and of the press; La liberté de pensée, de croyance, d'opinion et d'expression, y compris la liberté de parole et de presse ;

Freedom of peaceful assembly; and la liberté de réunion pacifique ; et

Freedom of association. Liberté d'association.

Habeas corpus, the right to challenge unlawful detention by the state, comes from English common law. L'habeas corpus, le droit de contester une détention illégale par l'État, provient de la common law anglaise. Habeas corpus, право оскаржити незаконне затримання державою, походить від англійського загального права.

The Constitution of Canada was amended in 1982 to entrench the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which begins with the words, “Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.” This phrase underlines the importance of religious traditions to Canadian society and the dignity and worth of the human person. La Constitution du Canada a été modifiée en 1982 afin d'enchâsser la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés, qui commence par les mots "Attendu que le Canada est fondé sur des principes qui reconnaissent la suprématie de Dieu et l'état de droit". Cette phrase souligne l'importance des traditions religieuses pour la société canadienne, ainsi que la dignité et la valeur de la personne humaine.

The Charter attempts to summarize fundamental freedoms while also setting out additional rights. La Charte tente de résumer les libertés fondamentales tout en énonçant des droits supplémentaires. The most important of these include: Les plus importantes d'entre elles sont les suivantes :

Mobility Rights — Canadians can live and work anywhere they choose in Canada, enter and leave the country freely, and apply for a passport. Droits à la mobilité - Les Canadiens peuvent vivre et travailler où ils le souhaitent au Canada, entrer et sortir librement du pays et demander un passeport.

Aboriginal Peoples' Rights — The rights guaranteed in the Charter will not adversely affect any treaty or other rights or freedoms of Aboriginal peoples. Droits des peuples autochtones - Les droits garantis par la Charte ne portent pas atteinte aux droits et libertés des peuples autochtones, qu'il s'agisse de droits issus de traités ou d'autres droits. Official Language Rights and Minority Language Educational Rights — French and English have equal status in Parliament and throughout the government. Droits relatifs aux langues officielles et droits à l'instruction dans la langue de la minorité - Le français et l'anglais ont le même statut au Parlement et dans l'ensemble de l'administration.

Multiculturalism — A fundamental characteristic of the Canadian heritage and identity. Multiculturalisme - Caractéristique fondamentale du patrimoine et de l'identité canadiens. Canadians celebrate the gift of one another's presence and work hard to respect pluralism and live in harmony. Les Canadiens célèbrent le don de la présence des uns et des autres et s'efforcent de respecter le pluralisme et de vivre en harmonie. Photo:

Queen Elizabeth II proclaiming the amended Constitution, Ottawa, 1982 La reine Élisabeth II proclame la Constitution amendée, Ottawa, 1982

The Equality of Women and Men L'égalité des femmes et des hommes

In Canada, men and women are equal under the law. Au Canada, les hommes et les femmes sont égaux devant la loi. Canada's openness and generosity do not extend to barbaric cultural practices that tolerate spousal abuse, “honour killings,” female genital mutilation, forced marriage or other gender-based violence. L'ouverture et la générosité du Canada ne s'étendent pas aux pratiques culturelles barbares qui tolèrent les violences conjugales, les "crimes d'honneur", les mutilations génitales féminines, les mariages forcés ou d'autres violences fondées sur le sexe. A abertura e a generosidade do Canadá não se estendem a práticas culturais bárbaras que toleram abuso conjugal, “crimes de honra”, mutilação genital feminina, casamento forçado ou outra violência baseada em gênero. Those guilty of these crimes are severely punished under Canada's criminal laws. Les personnes coupables de ces crimes sont sévèrement punies par le droit pénal canadien. Os culpados desses crimes são severamente punidos pelas leis penais do Canadá. Citizenship Responsibilities Responsabilités citoyennes Responsabilidades da cidadania

In Canada, rights come with responsibilities. Au Canada, les droits sont assortis de responsabilités. These include:

Obeying the law — One of Canada's founding principles is the rule of law. Respecter la loi - L'un des principes fondateurs du Canada est l'État de droit. Individuals and governments are regulated by laws and not by arbitrary actions. Les individus et les gouvernements sont régis par des lois et non par des actions arbitraires. Окремі особи та уряди регулюються законами, а не свавіллям. No person or group is above the law. Aucune personne ni aucun groupe n'est au-dessus de la loi.

Taking responsibility for oneself and one's family — Getting a job, taking care of one's family and working hard in keeping with one's abilities are important Canadian values. Assumer ses responsabilités et celles de sa famille - Trouver un emploi, s'occuper de sa famille et travailler dur en fonction de ses capacités sont des valeurs canadiennes importantes. Work contributes to personal dignity and self-respect, and to Canada's prosperity. Le travail contribue à la dignité personnelle et au respect de soi, ainsi qu'à la prospérité du Canada. Serving on a jury — When called to do so, you are legally required to serve. Faire partie d'un jury - Si vous êtes appelé à faire partie d'un jury, vous êtes légalement tenu de le faire. Serving on a jury is a privilege that makes the justice system work as it depends on impartial juries made up of citizens. Faire partie d'un jury est un privilège qui permet au système judiciaire de fonctionner, car il repose sur des jurys impartiaux composés de citoyens.

Voting in elections — The right to vote comes with a responsibility to vote in federal, provincial or territorial and local elections. Voter aux élections - Le droit de vote s'accompagne de la responsabilité de voter aux élections fédérales, provinciales ou territoriales et locales. Votação nas eleições - O direito de votar tem a responsabilidade de votar em eleições federais, provinciais ou territoriais e locais.

Helping others in the community — Millions of volunteers freely donate their time to help others without pay—helping people in need, assisting at your child's school, volunteering at a food bank or other charity, or encouraging newcomers to integrate. Aider les autres au sein de la communauté - Des millions de bénévoles donnent gratuitement de leur temps pour aider les autres - aider les personnes dans le besoin, aider l'école de votre enfant, faire du bénévolat dans une banque alimentaire ou une autre organisation caritative, ou encore encourager les nouveaux arrivants à s'intégrer. Ajudar os outros na comunidade - Milhões de voluntários doam livremente seu tempo para ajudar outras pessoas sem pagamento - ajudando pessoas necessitadas, ajudando na escola de seu filho, fazendo trabalho voluntário em um banco de alimentos ou outra instituição de caridade, ou incentivando os recém-chegados a se integrarem. Volunteering is an excellent way to gain useful skills and develop friends and contacts. Le bénévolat est un excellent moyen d'acquérir des compétences utiles et de se faire des amis et des contacts. O voluntariado é uma excelente maneira de obter habilidades úteis e desenvolver amigos e contatos.

Protecting and enjoying our heritage and environment — Every citizen has a role to play in avoiding waste and pollution while protecting Canada's natural, cultural and architectural heritage for future generations. Protéger et apprécier notre patrimoine et notre environnement - Chaque citoyen a un rôle à jouer pour éviter les déchets et la pollution tout en protégeant le patrimoine naturel, culturel et architectural du Canada pour les générations futures. Protegendo e desfrutando de nossa herança e meio ambiente - Todo cidadão tem um papel a desempenhar para evitar o desperdício e a poluição, ao mesmo tempo que protege o patrimônio natural, cultural e arquitetônico do Canadá para as gerações futuras. Defending Canada

There is no compulsory military service in Canada. Il n'y a pas de service militaire obligatoire au Canada. Não há serviço militar obrigatório no Canadá. However, serving in the regular Canadian Forces (navy, army and air force) is a noble way to contribute to Canada and an excellent career choice (www.forces.ca). Cependant, servir dans les Forces régulières canadiennes (marine, armée de terre et armée de l'air) est une noble façon de contribuer au Canada et un excellent choix de carrière (www.forces.ca). No entanto, servir nas Forças Canadenses regulares (marinha, exército e força aérea) é uma maneira nobre de contribuir para o Canadá e uma excelente opção de carreira (www.forces.ca). You can serve in your local part-time navy, militia and air reserves and gain valuable experience, skills and contacts. Vous pouvez servir dans la marine à temps partiel, la milice et les réserves aériennes de votre région et acquérir une expérience, des compétences et des contacts précieux. Young people can learn discipline, responsibility, and skills by getting involved in the cadets (www.cadets.ca). Les jeunes peuvent apprendre la discipline, la responsabilité et les compétences en s'engageant dans les cadets (www.cadets.ca).

You may also serve in the Coast Guard or emergency services in your community such as a police force or fire department. Vous pouvez également servir dans la Garde côtière ou dans les services d'urgence de votre communauté, tels que la police ou les pompiers. By helping to protect your community, you follow in the footsteps of Canadians before you who made sacrifices in the service of our country. En aidant à protéger votre communauté, vous suivez les traces des Canadiens qui, avant vous, ont fait des sacrifices au service de notre pays. Ao ajudar a proteger sua comunidade, você segue os passos dos canadenses antes de você que fez sacrifícios a serviço do nosso país.