John Robson: The Charter at 40: Empowering the State, Not Protecting Liberty

(L-R) Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Minister of Finance Allan MacEachen, and Premier of Quebec Rene Levesque attend the constitutional conference in Ottawa on Nov. 5, 1981, when it was agreed to add a Charter of Rights and Freedoms to the Constitution. CP Photo

Commentary

It is now 40 years since the glorious Charter of Rights and Freedoms sprang full-fledged from the brow of philosopher-king Pierre Elliot Trudeau, created Canada from some rather nasty foam bobbing about from sea to shining C-minus, and gave us sweet-smelling liberty where all had been sick-making darkness. Or so I gather from the retrospectives, though I’m having a bit of trouble reconciling that particular golden bough with the sour, wormy fruit before me.