The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees language rights—the right, in general, to use either English or French in communicating with the federal government and with some of the provincial/territorial governments. Learn more*
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees language rights—the right, in general, to use either English or French in communicating with the federal government and with some of the provincial/territorial governments. Learn more*
Your community will have an elected Member of Parliament (MP) representative. The member will have a local office.There will be times when your MP will be there and you can arrange to meet with him or her.You can send letters or e-mails to your MP if there are issues that concern you. Locate your MP’s office in the phone book or through the Internet. Learn more
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees minority language education rights—this means that French and English minorities in every province have the right to be educated in their own language. Learn more*
Under legislation passed by Parliament, federal elections must be held on the third Monday in October every four years following the most recent general election.The Prime Minister may ask the Governor General to call an earlier election. Canadian citizens who are 18 years or older may run in a federal election.The people who run for office are called candidates.There can be many candidates in an electoral district.*
In Canada,women have the same rights as men.Women must be treated the same as men in the workplace. Women cannot be denied work opportunities, including promotions, because of their gender.All governments in Canada encourage equal treatment of, and opportunity for,women of all ages. Learn more
There are four major political parties at the federal level in Canada: the Bloc Québécois, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, and the New Democratic Party.The Bloc Québécois has representatives only from the Province of Quebec. See page 240 for a list of contact information for each of these parties. Learn more
In addition to rights and freedoms, Canadian citizens also have responsibilities. These include understanding and obeying Canadian laws, voting in elections, allowing other Canadians to enjoy their rights and freedoms, taking care of the environment, and helping to strengthen our multicultural society. It is considered very important for Canadians to show respect for the rights and well-being of others.*