Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T06:53:06.587Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Terms of Entitlement: Is there a Distinctly Canadian “Rights Talk”?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 June 2008

Emmett Macfarlane
Emmett Macfarlane*
Affiliation:
Queen's University
*
Emmett Macfarlane, Department of Political Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, 4em1@queensu.ca.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Abstract. One of the most frequently mentioned, yet seriously understudied, changes brought to Canadian society by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is its influence on political debate and how citizens understand and treat rights. This empirical lacuna is significant because several scholars of Canadian politics have suggested that “rights talk” can have negative implications for political discourse, given that rights are too often presented in absolute, uncompromising terms. This article represents a first attempt to investigate this phenomenon. It presents a content analysis of the media's presentation of rights issues, and evaluates how rights are portrayed during coverage of Supreme Court Charter decisions.

Résumé. L'un des changements les plus notables apportés à la société canadienne par l'adoption de la Charte des droits et libertés est son influence sur les débats politiques et, plus particulièrement, sur la manière dont les citoyens interprètent leurs droits. Ce changement important est toutefois très peu étudié. Cette lacune empirique est significative puisque plusieurs politologues canadiens ont suggéré que le «langage des droits» a des répercussions négatives sur les débats politiques, étant donné que les droits sont souvent décrits en termes absolus et définitifs. Cet article représente une première tentative d'exploration de ce phénomène. Il présente une analyse du contenu médiatique et évalue comment les médias dépeignent les droits dans leur couverture des décisions de la Cour suprême portant sur la Charte.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue canadienne de science politique , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , June 2008 , pp. 303 - 328
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cairns, Alan C. 1992. Charter versus Federalism: The Dilemmas of Constitutional Reform. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cowan, James. 2004. “Tories ‘whomped’ gay advocate says: Toronto celebrants call Harper a ‘girly man’ for opposition to gay marriage.” National Post, December 10, A4.Google Scholar
Glendon, Mary Ann. 1991. Rights Talk: The Impoverishment of Political Discourse. New York: The Free Press.Google Scholar
Heinrich, Jeff. 2006. “Supreme Court decision on kirpans in schools gives Quebec Muslims hope.” National Post, March 4, A12.Google Scholar
Henton, Darcy. 1998. “Klein does flip-flop on victims' bill: Premier admits ‘mistake’ over bid to override rights on sterilization.” Toronto Star, March 12, A2.Google Scholar
Hiebert, Janet. 1993. “Rights and Public Debate: The Limitations of a ‘Rights Must be Paramount’ Perspective.” International Journal of Canadian Studies 7–8: 117–35.Google Scholar
Hiebert, Janet. 2002. Charter Conflict: What Is Parliament's Role? Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ignatieff, Michael. 2000. The Rights Revolution. Toronto: House of Anansi Press.Google Scholar
Kahana, Tsvi. 2001. “The Notwithstand Mechanism and Public Discussion: Lessons from the Ignored Practice of Section 33 of the Charter.” Canadian Public Administration 44 (3): 255–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, Mark. 2006. “Tories want new law on abortion, PM alleges: Raises old charge.” National Post, January 12, A6.Google Scholar
Knopff, Rainer. 1998. “Populism and the Politics of Rights: The Dual Attack on Representative Democracy.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 31(4): 683–705.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knopff, Rainer and Morton, F.L.. 1992. Charter Politics. Scarborough: Nelson Canada.Google Scholar
Makin, Kirk. 2004. “Top court upholds spending limits: Justices rule unrestricted political ads could ‘manipulate or oppress the voter.’” Globe and Mail, May 19, A8.Google Scholar
Miljan, Lydia and Cooper, Barry. 2003. Hidden Agendas: How Journalists Influence the News. Vancouver: UBC Press.Google Scholar
Morton, F.L. 1992. Morgentaler v. Borowski: Abortion, the Charter and the Courts. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart.Google Scholar
Morton, F.L. and Knopff, Rainer. 2000. The Charter Revolution and the Court Party. Peterborough: Broadview Press.Google Scholar
Nanos, Nik. 2007. “Charter Values Don't Equal Canadian Values: Strong Support for Same-Sex and Property Rights.” Policy Options 28(2): 50–55.Google Scholar
Pal, Leslie A. 1993. Interests of State: The Politics of Language, Multiculturalism, and Feminism in Canada. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peacock, Anthony A. 1996. “Strange Brew: Tocqueville, Rights, and the Technology of Equality.” In Rethinking the Constitution: Perspectives on Canadian Constitutional Reform, Interpretation, and Theory, ed. Peacock, Anthony A.. Don Mills: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Russell, Peter. 1983. “The Political Purposes of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.” The Canadian Bar Review 61: 30–54.Google Scholar
Russell, Peter. 1994. “Canadian Constraints on Judicialization from Without.” International Political Science Review 15(2): 165–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Russell, Peter. 2007. “The Notwithstanding Clause: the Charter's Homage to Parliamentary Democracy.” Policy Options 28(2): 65–68.Google Scholar
Sauvageau, Florian, Schneiderman, David and Taras, David. 2006. The Last Word: Media Coverage of the Supreme Court of Canada. Vancouver: UBC Press.Google Scholar
Sharpe, Robert J. and Roach, Kent. 2005. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 3rd ed.Toronto: Irwin Law.Google Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 1994. “Rights Talk: The Effect of the Charter on Canadian Political Discourse.” In Protecting Rights and Freedoms: Essays on the Charter's Place in Canada's Political, Legal, and Intellectual Life, ed. Bryden, Philip, Davis, Steven and Russell, Peter. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.Google Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 2004. “Stephen Harper just doesn't get it.” Globe and Mail, December 15, A25.Google Scholar
Tibbetts, Janice. 2004a. “Provinces scorn Cotler's appeal: Same-sex wedding.” National Post, December 18, A16.Google Scholar
Tibbetts, Janice. 2004b. “Supreme Court upholds election ad limits: Lobby groups outraged.” National Post, May 19, A9.Google Scholar
Trimble, Linda and Sampert, Shannon. 2004. “Who's in the Game? The Framing of the Canadian Election 2000 by the Globe and Mail and the National Post.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 37(1): 51–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar