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GUIDE TO THE CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMSPart II : The Contents of the Canadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsSection 3 Democratic Rights Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein. Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Charter contain rules that guarantee Canadians a democratic government. Section 3 guarantees to all citizens the right to be involved in the election of their governments. It gives them the right to vote in federal, provincial or territorial elections, along with the right to run for public office themselves. Again, some limits on these rights may be reasonable even in a democracy. For example, the right to vote or stand for election is limited to persons 18 years of age or older.
It is a basic principle in a democracy that a government must consult the voters and stand for re-election at regular intervals. Section 4 reflects this principle. It says that no Parliament or legislative assembly can continue to sit for longer than five years. Only under extraordinary circumstances, such as a war or national emergency, may a government stay in office for a period longer than five years.
There shall be a sitting of Parliament and of each legislature at least once every twelve months. Another basic democratic principle is that a government must explain its actions to the people. Section 5 of the Charter makes it clear that Parliament and the legislative assemblies must hold a session at least once a year. This rule ensures that elected members and the public have a chance to question government actions on a regular basis. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 52 | Further Reading | Where to Obtain Information about Human Rights |
Date modified: 2003/12/18 |
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