Charterpedia

Charterpedia provides legal information about the Charter and contains information about the purpose of each section of the Charter, the analysis or test developed through case law in respect of the section, and any particular considerations related to it. Each Charterpedia entry cites relevant case law, and citations to Supreme Court of Canada decisions are hyperlinked whenever possible. Please note that Charterpedia was last updated in August 2024.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• General principles for the interpretation and application of the Charter
• Section 1 – Reasonable limits
• Section 2(a) – Freedom of religion
• Section 2(b) – Freedom of expression
• Section 2(c) – Freedom of peaceful assembly
• Section 2(d) – Freedom of association
• Section 3 – Democratic rights
• Section 4 – Maximum duration of legislative bodies
• Section 5 – Annual sitting of legislative bodies
• Section 6 – Mobility rights
• Section 7 – Life, liberty and security of the person
• Section 8 – Search and seizure
• Section 9 – Arbitrary detention
• Section 10 – General
• Section 10(a) – Right to be informed of reasons for detention or arrest
• Section 10(b) – Right to counsel
• Section 10(c) – Habeas corpus
• Section 11 – General: legal rights apply to those "charged with an offence"
• Section 11(a) – Right to be informed without unreasonable delay of the specific offence charged
• Section 11(b) – Trial within a reasonable time
• Section 11(c) – Protection against testimonial compulsion
• Section 11(d) – Presumption of innocence
• Section 11(e) – Right not to be denied reasonable bail without just cause
• Section 11(f) – Trial by jury
• Section 11(g) – Retroactive offences
• Section 11(h) – Protection against double jeopardy
• Section 11(i) – Lesser punishment
• Section 12 – Cruel and unusual treatment or punishment
• Section 13 – Protection against self-incrimination
• Section 14 – Right to an interpreter
• Section 15 – Equality rights
• Section 16 and 16.1 – Official languages of Canada
• Section 17 – Proceedings of Parliament and of the New Brunswick legislature
• Section 18 – Parliamentary and New Brunswick statutes and records
• Section 19 – Proceedings in courts established by Parliament and in New Brunswick courts
• Section 20 – Right for the public to communicate with and to receive services from federal institutions and New Brunswick institutions
• Section 21 – Continuation of existing constitutional provisions
• Section 22 – Rights and privileges preserved
• Section 23 – Minority language educational rights
• Section 24(1) – Remedies
• Section 24(2) – Exclusion of evidence
• Section 25 – Aboriginal and treaty rights
• Section 26 – Existing rights and freedoms in Canada continue
• Section 27 – Multicultural heritage
• Section 28 – Gender equality rights
• Section 29 – Denominational schools
• Section 30 – Application to the territories and territorial authorities
• Section 32(1) – Application of the Charter
• Section 33 – Notwithstanding clause
• Section 34 – Citation
• Section 52(1) – The Supremacy clause
• Section 52(2) – The Constitution