1. Rights – Individual and Collective
TOP TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

2. Relation to liberalism1
Essential for liberal society
Human vs Civil

3. Enlightenment 2
Hobbes: give up individual rights in return for security
Locke: individual rights (especially for property) essential, but some must be sacrificed for security
Rousseau: group rights should be decided by individuals, but then followed by the group

4. Legislation 3 Codification – to organize laws into one place
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Entrenched
US Bill of Rights
UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights

5. Case Studies U.S. Declaration of Independence
French Revolution – Declaration of the Rights of Man
Evolution of workers rights
Working conditions, protection for unions, wages, working hours (John Stuart Mill)
Evolution of women’s rights
Suffrage, “Persons Case”

6. Collective Rights 4
Rights that are given to a group of people (often to protect their culture)
As opposed to individual rights that are granted to everyone (e.g. equality rights)
In Canada:
Francophone (and Anglophone) language rights
Aboriginal Treaty Rights
Not the same as compensation for Residential Schools and other mistreatment

7. Aboriginal Collective Rights5
1763 Royal Proclamation – this is Aboriginal land and government must sign a treaty to release that land to non-Aboriginal Canadians
Rent analogy
Includes rights for reserved land, financial assistance, education, health care, hunting and fishing rights, self-determination

8. Issues 6 Treaty rights not always respected/enforced
Many reserve lands not self-sustaining
Culture of dependency
Clashes with non-Native populations

9. Francophone Collective Rights7
British control (Battle of Plains of Abraham) but French majority, so rights established to protect culture
US Revolutionary War = Loyalists move north and become majority in colony – demand end to special rights for the French
Over time treated as 2nd class citizens
E.g. Catholics cannot participate in government, most businesses owned by Francophones

10. Quiet Revolution 8 Demand to be treated equally
Demand to be treated as a distinct society
Fear of being assimilated
Je me souviens
Right to education in Manitoba, Alberta

11. Francophone language rights9
Bill 101 (Charter of the French Language)
Overrides the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

12. Classical vs Modern Liberal Views10
Both support the idea of individual rights – everyone should be treated the same
Modern liberals support idea that some minority groups need extra support from government to catch up to opportunities already being enjoyed by majority
Often to right wrongs of the past