Question 1

What are the qualifications on a government's power to make laws?

Accepted Answer

The government must ensure that laws comply with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that they have the constitutional authority to pass the legislation under the division of powers.

Question 2

Which of the following is a protected right under the Charter?

Accepted Answer

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the right to be tried within a reasonable time (A) and the right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual treatment or punishment (C). Legal aid is not explicitly guaranteed under the Charter.

Question 3

Which level of government, if any, has the constitutional power to create cities?

Accepted Answer

In most countries, the power to create cities is typically vested in the provincial or state level of government, as they have jurisdiction over local governance and municipal affairs.

Question 4

Which of the following actions can a Human Rights tribunal do?

Accepted Answer

Human Rights tribunals have the authority to order remedies that can include requiring companies to re-hire workers, stop discriminatory practices, award compensation, and implement special programs to address systemic discrimination.

Question 5

Over which of the following does the federal government have jurisdiction?

Accepted Answer

The federal government has jurisdiction over the regulation of trade and commerce (A) and unemployment insurance (now called employment insurance) (B).

Question 6

The Constitution of Canada was originally called the British North America Act ("the BNA Act"). This Act was passed by

Accepted Answer

The British North America Act, 1867, was passed by the British Parliament to create the Dominion of Canada, uniting the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

Question 7

To which of the following situations does the Charter apply?

Accepted Answer

The Charter applies to government actions and legislation, such as the Criminal Code, but not to private disputes between individuals or private entities like employers or landlords.

Question 8

To which of the following does the Charter of Rights and Freedoms apply?

Accepted Answer

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies to government actions and legislation, such as the Criminal Code and provincial Education Acts, but not to private disputes like those involving private companies such as McDonald's.

Question 9

The Ontario government enacts a law that says in every company that has more than 100 employees, the proportion of women employees must be the same as that in the provincial workforce. Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

The provision is valid under the Charter because Section 15(2) allows for affirmative action programs aimed at improving conditions for disadvantaged groups.

Question 10

If the court states an Act (Statute)is beyond the jurisdiction of a government, it will rule the Act is

Accepted Answer

The term "ultra vires" is used to describe actions taken beyond the legal power or authority of a government or corporation.

Question 11

Which of the following rights is protected under the Charter?

Accepted Answer

All the rights listed are protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Question 12

The purpose of s. 33 of the Charter is to

Accepted Answer

Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, known as the "notwithstanding clause," allows governments to pass laws that may infringe on certain Charter rights by expressly declaring that the law shall operate notwithstanding a provision of the Charter.

Question 13

Identify to which of the following situations the Charter applies:

Accepted Answer

The Charter applies to laws and actions of the federal and provincial governments, as they are part of the state. Choices A and B involve government actions, while C and D involve private entities.

Question 14

Over which of the following does the federal government have jurisdiction?

Accepted Answer

The federal government has jurisdiction over bankruptcy as it is a matter of national economic policy and regulation.

Question 15

Over which of the following matters does a provincial government have jurisdiction?

Accepted Answer

Provincial governments in Canada have jurisdiction over health care, as it is a matter of provincial responsibility under the Constitution Act, 1867.

Question 16

The case of Vriend v. Alberta established

Accepted Answer

The Vriend v. Alberta case was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1998, which held that the exclusion of sexual orientation from Alberta's Individual Rights Protection Act was a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This case established that discrimination based on sexual orientation was unconstitutional.

Question 17

The British North America Act was amended in 1982 to accomplish what objectives?

Accepted Answer

The British North America Act was amended in 1982 to accomplish all of the objectives listed in the choices.

Question 18

Where do the residual powers to deal with matters not specifically listed as being with the jurisdiction of the federal or provincial governments lie?

Accepted Answer

In Canada, the residual powers, or those not specifically listed in the Constitution Act, 1867, are assigned to the federal government under the "peace, order, and good government" clause.

Question 19

In the Big M Drug Mart case, which of the following did the Supreme Court decide?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court decided that the Lord's Day Act was criminal in nature and therefore within the federal government's powers under the Constitution Act, that a corporation may challenge a law on the grounds that it infringes the freedom of conscience and religion guaranteed by the Charter, even though a corporation does not have a conscience or practice a religion, and that the Lord's Day Act, prohibiting doing business on the Christian Sabbath (Sunday), infringes the religious freedom of non-Christians.

Question 20

The federal government is planning a law that would make it an offence to make negative remarks about the intelligence of the American President. The government claims that this is necessary at the present time for reasons of national security. If the law were challenged under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, what would you expect the courts to decide?

Accepted Answer

The law would likely be found to infringe on the freedom of thought, opinion, and expression guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Quiz 1: Fundamental Rights

What are the qualifications on a government's power to make laws?

Which of the following is a protected right under the Charter?

Which level of government, if any, has the constitutional power to create cities?

Which of the following actions can a Human Rights tribunal do?

Over which of the following does the federal government have jurisdiction?

The Constitution of Canada was originally called the British North America Act ("the BNA Act") . This Act was passed by

To which of the following situations does the Charter apply?

To which of the following does the Charter of Rights and Freedoms apply?

The Ontario government enacts a law that says in every company that has more than 100 employees, the proportion of women employees must be the same as that in the provincial workforce. Which of the following statements is true?

If the court states an Act (Statute) is beyond the jurisdiction of a government, it will rule the Act is

Which of the following rights is protected under the Charter?

The purpose of s. 33 of the Charter is to

Identify to which of the following situations the Charter applies:

Over which of the following does the federal government have jurisdiction?

Over which of the following matters does a provincial government have jurisdiction?

The case of Vriend v. Alberta established

The British North America Act was amended in 1982 to accomplish what objectives?

Where do the residual powers to deal with matters not specifically listed as being with the jurisdiction of the federal or provincial governments lie?

In the Big M Drug Mart case, which of the following did the Supreme Court decide?