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Unit 3: Section 1: Workbook 9: Collective Rights in Canada
Explore
As you likely discovered in your discussions with your learning partner or family member, each of the founding peoples (Aboriginals, Francophones, and Anglophones) has made great contributions to Canada. For example, Canada was an Aboriginal name. Many of the names of places in Canada reflect our Aboriginal, Francophone, and Anglophone heritage. Does the name of your community reflect one of Canada's founding groups? (You may wish to check the origin of your community's name.)
Each of the founding groups has a distinct collective identity. Think about how you would begin to describe the collective identity of each of these collectives.
The founding groups of people are identified in the constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes both French and English as the official languages of Canada. These documents entrench the collective rights of both French and English languages. The collective rights are based on historical and contemporary agreements between the founding groups and the Crown (which means the Government of Canada).
entrench: to set in place or establish firmly
Vocabulary
Retrieve your Issues for Canadians Definitions handout from your Activities folder. Write a definition for the word entrench.
You will encounter this term throughout this section as you investigate the entrenching of rights in Canada's constitution.
Save your updated handout to your Activities folder.
©Thinkstock
©Thinkstock
However, it is important to consider the following question:
To what extent has Canada affirmed the collective rights of the Francophones, Anglophones, and Aboriginal peoples?
The purpose of collective rights is to affirm the collective identity of groups in society and to create a society in which people of various identities belong.affirm: to acknowledge or to declare something to be true
Also, when a person or a group feels affirmed or feels a sense of affirmation, that person or group feels accepted or feels a sense of belonging.
Vocabulary
Record your definition of affirm on your Issues for Canadians Definitions handout.
Save your updated handout to your Activities folder.
There are many collectives in Canada; however, only three collectives have rights entrenched in the Canadian constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Consider the position of the government. How would the government respond to the following question?
Should all collectives have rights?
Read
To help you formulate your response, use what you have learned in this activity, the Section 1 Introduction, and the Section 1 Inquiry.
As well, read the "FAQ: Collective Rights" on page 122 of your textbook, Issues for Canadians.
In your response, be sure to consider how identity, citizenship, and quality of life of all Canadians are influenced by collective rights.
Save your response to your Activities folder.
Going Beyond
Internet Web Search
Examine the United States' constitution and government policies.
- Does the U.S. support collective identities?
- How does this make Canada similar to or different from the United States?