Lesson 2 Rights and Responsibilities

1. Introduction

2. Lesson

Canadian citizens enjoy many rights, but Canadians also have responsibilities.  They must obey Canada's laws and respect the rights and freedoms of others.  In this lesson you will learn about the rights and responsibilities of being a Canadian.

Now, compare your views from the survey with the following summary of the survey. Remember that this is only one way of thinking about the viewpoints of citizenship that are presented in the survey.

• Becoming informed about the issues facing society: Citizens must decide how knowledgeable they should become about things affecting society.

• Satisfying personal goals and the goals of society: Citizens must make choices about how much importance they place on seeking their own self-interest and how much they should place on fulfilling the collective interests of society.

• Defining the role of government: Citizens make decisions about why they need a government and what role should be performed by government in society.

• Influencing decisions: Citizens make choices about how they will exercise power and affect the decisions to be made in society.

• Accepting authority: Citizens make choices about their attitudes toward the presence of authority in society. Do people think that the presence of authority is necessary to help them achieve what they want or to limit their activities to maintain order in society?

• Membership in society: Citizens make choices about how they see themselves as part of society. Do individuals have a sense of belonging, and do they act in ways that are accountable to the group?

• Accepting ideas of others: Citizens decide how much they understand and tolerate the ideas of others. Will they listen to and accept ideas that are different from their own?

As you reflect on the above questions consider these reasons for and perspectives on participatory citizenship:

• Respect for Law and Order: Obeying the law is important for keeping order in society. But what if some individuals cause harm to society by refusing constantly to follow the laws? What can citizens do?

• Political Participation: Voting and running for office in elections are rights in liberal democracies. Are there other ways of influencing government decision-making?

• Humanitarianism: Poverty, abuse, and natural and man-made disasters occur locally, nationally, and globally. How can citizens get involved to make conditions better for their fellow human beings?

• Protest and Civil Disobedience: Liberal democracies usually allow for some dissent concerning government decisions. But what if citizens believe the government is refusing to listen? Is violence an acceptable form of dissent?

  
  

  How Can You Get Involved?

  Community services are examples of citizen participation. You are probably familiar with some of the major community services in your area.       Following is a list of some well known community services or volunteer agencies:

  
  

  • Block Parent Program: This program helps children when they are lost, harassed, or frightened and offers them protection and shelter.

  • Neighborhood Watch: People share in the security and protection of their neighborhood through this group. They report any suspicious activity to the police.

  • Rural Crime Watch: This program is similar to Neighborhood Watch but in rural areas.

  • Meals on Wheels: This organization delivers hot meals to shut-ins and the elderly.

  • Crime Stoppers: This program gives cash awards for tips about crimes such as break-ins, hit-and-runs, and assaults.

  • Kinsmen: This organization raises large sums of money for various charities, particularly cystic fibrosis, and helps build community sports facilities.

  • Royal Canadian Legion: This organization is made up mainly of ex-servicemen and women, many of whom served in the Canadian armed services in World War II and the Korean War. Descendants of veterans can be members, too.

  • Food Bank: This agency always needs food donors, volunteer drivers, hamper packers, and loaders—all year round.

  • Red Cross Society: This organization provides relief efforts in times of emergencies such as natural disasters.

  Influencing Political Decision-Making

  Some of the most common ways of getting involved in political decision-making in Canada are joining a political party (Most political parties have youth associations, too.) voting in elections after you turn 18 running for political office after you turn 18

  
  

However, there are other ways of influencing decision-making. 

• Writing letters to your local newspaper editor, MLA (Member of the Legislature of Alberta), MP (Member of Parliament), or even to the prime minister lets decision-makers know your views about specific issues. Through such input, the government can judge how the public will react to proposed legislation.

• Petitions are actually one letter with many signatures-sometimes thousands! A petition can be a very powerful way of showing the government what citizens want.

• Protests and demonstrations, especially peaceful ones, are visible means of drawing attention to concerns. Although peaceful protests and demonstrations influence decision-making, it is important that they do not become illegal actions.

3. Resources

Print Resource

The following is a link for Discover Canada.  This is guide was created by immigration Canada to inform new citizens of their rights and responsibilities.  Use this guide to help you complete the assignment for this lesson.

Discover Canada

4. Conclusion

Individual and Collective Citizenship

Final Thoughts:

Imagine how you would feel if you were the victim of a mugging and no one stopped to help you. You call for help, but no one pays any attention; they walk around you and continue on their way. Imagine the problems a community would have if no one volunteered to build playgrounds or help with community fund-raisers.