The Rule of Law Must Mean Something in Canada

Published on January 24, 2024

Commentary The last time I checked, Canada was a liberal secular democracy that is based on the rule of law. In that sense, new legislation or changes to our legal code are suggested by MPs or senators or committees, debated, amended, debated again, voted on in both the House of Commons and the Senate, passed, and then, and only then, are sent to the Governor General for royal assent and finally become law. I would imagine we all recognize that over time laws need to be reviewed and amended as society changes and the facts on the ground shift. To cite but one example, we used to have a law in Canada that made Chinese immigration illegal (the 1923 Chinese Immigration Act was only repealed in May 1947) but would not countenance such an approach today. The nation’s attitudes have moved on....

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