Leaders | Charter fights

Canada’s constitution is being trampled by populists

The “notwithstanding clause” lets politicians nullify citizens’ rights. It needs to go

For those who nod off at the mention of Canada’s constitution, the obscure-sounding “notwithstanding clause” will surely induce lethargy. But populists are increasingly taking advantage of this apparently innocuous article in the country’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canadians should wake up and scrap the clause entirely.

This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Charter fights”

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