From coast to coast to coast, people in Canada are observing a decline in the health of our democracy. Examples like increasing use of the Notwithstanding Clause to circumvent Charter rights and avoid the scrutiny of the courts, threats to judicial independence, and enacting legislation that permits governments to bypass other legal protections point to what many call "democratic backsliding" - governments that are less transparent, less accountable and accessible to the people they serve. This session examines this trend drawing on examples from Québec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, as well as the potential to fundamentally alter the criminal justice system in Canada at the federal level, and underscores the role of educators in pushing back against authoritarian governance by using the classroom as a space to foster democratic resilience.
