Can the government ignore your Charter-guaranteed rights?

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This is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

The Charter is part of the Constitution and guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms for everyone in Canada, such as the freedom of expression.

This is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

But did you know?

Some Charter rights can be temporarily overridden by governments? That's where Section 33 comes in.

Section 33 — The Notwithstanding Clause

Section 33 of the Charter, or more commonly known as the notwithstanding clause, allows the government to pass laws that operate notwithstanding certain sections of the Charter. This includes fundamental rights and freedoms such as the freedom of religion, expression, association, equality rights, and many more.

Timeline

Click the 'view timeline' button below to learn more about the evolution of the notwithstanding clause.