Section 1 - Rights and Responsibilities

It's a free country! I know my rights! We have freedom of speech in Canada!

How often do you hear people saying things like this? But do we really understand our rights in Canada? And what about our responsibilities?

Think about it:

• Do you always have to wear seat belts when traveling in a car? 
• Can you say or write whatever you like about others? 
• Must you accompany a police officer when asked? 
• What happens if your rights to do what you want conflict with the rights your community has to security? 
  

In this section, you will investigate questions like these. When you are finished the section, you should be able to explain why individual rights need protection, describe the relationship between rights and responsibilities, and identify the important rights and responsibilities of minors.