Commentary: S. 15 Can Help Bring Legitimacy to Our Democracy

Abstract

At the 20th anniversary of the coming into force of section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (right to equality), constitutional scholar Martha Jackman discusses the value of section 15 as a mechanism for challenging systemic inequities in Canadian society. She concludes that section 15 of the Charter can be interpreted and applied to directly address problems in Canada's political and Parliamentary system that undermine the confidence of people in poverty in Canada's courts and democratic institutions.

Keywords: Canada, Canadian, law, legal, constitution, Charter of Rights, section 15, equality, right, systemic, inequity, inequality, structural, political, parliament, parliamentary system, legislature, poverty, democracy, democratic