Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français. In 2013–2014 and again since June 2020, some Canadian political figures have used the terms “national languages” and “official languages” interchangeably to refer to English and French when discussing the federal language regime. However, these two terms are not equivalent. “Official” status requires the government to… Read More ›
Reading Time: 2 minutes Disponible en français. In Canada, the treaty-making process is controlled by the executive branch of the federal government, while the Parliament of Canada (“Parliament”) is often responsible for passing legislation to implement international treaties at the federal level. The treaty-making… Read More ›
Reading Time: 2 minutes Disponible en français. This Background Paper provides an overview of the duty to accommodate – a fundamental principle of equality included in all Canadian human rights laws – and describes how that principle has been interpreted and applied in Canadian jurisprudence. The duty… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français. Refugees are people who flee their country because it is unsafe. Most refugees seek protection in a country neighbouring their own. Others make their way to countries like Canada and seek protection once they have arrived. This paper describes the steps to obtain protection when a person is already in Canada. International law and Canadian… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français. Aquaculture production has seen important increases over the past 35 years, both in Canada and worldwide. British Columbia leads Canada’s finfish production (principally salmon), while Prince Edward Island leads the country’s shellfish production. In 2019, 187,026 tonnes… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français In Canada, the systems of early childhood education and care services are different from one province or territory to another; they differ significantly in their affordability, accessibility and rate of participation. These factors affect the labour force… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français. Under section 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867, the federal government has exclusive legislative authority for “Indians, and Lands reserved for the Indians.” This responsibility, however, often overlaps with that of the provinces, whose authority extends to areas such as child welfare, education and policing. While “Indians” means all Indigenous peoples for the purpose of section 91(24),… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français The federal government has authority over matters related to health and health care derived mainly from its criminal law power for issues related to public health and safety, and from its spending power through which it makes… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français. In Canada’s criminal justice system, people are sometimes found guilty of crimes that they did not commit. These errors are known as wrongful convictions. The number of wrongful convictions in Canada is unknown. In part, this is because… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minute Disponible en français. Climate change, changes in biological diversity, and the accumulation of toxic substances are three main interrelated issues affecting the rapidly shifting Arctic environment. While these issues, with climate change as a dominant driver, are largely the result of human activities in distant southern regions, they have serious cultural, socio‑economic and health impacts on residents… Read More ›