CCF launches free online course on constitutional law and fundamental freedoms

CCF launches free online course on constitutional law and fundamental freedoms

TORONTO: The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) has created a new online course about Canada’s constitution and fundamental freedoms that is available for members of the public for free.

The course is available at TheCCF.ca/Learn, and includes a series of video lectures followed by quizzes. Upon completion, students receive a personalized certificate they can print or share on social media.

“There has never been a more important time for Canadians to understand their fundamental freedoms. We are in living in unprecedented times where government is taking new powers just about every day. In order to defend our constitutional rights, it is imperative that we understand them,” said CCF Executive Director, Joanna Baron.

The course is the culmination of months of work with some of Canada’s leading constitutional lawyers and scholars. The topics include the Charter’s notwithstanding clause, the section 1 limitations clause, equality rights, and fundamental freedoms like freedom of speech, assembly and religion.

“It is so crucial that the public understand the rights they have and the structure of Canada’s constitution. Especially during times of crisis. There is a lot of misunderstanding about how our constitution works, and public education is a core part of our mandate. That’s why we created this free course,” concluded Baron.

The CCF wants to give a special thank you to all the experts who participated in the material for this course, including:

 
  • Dwight Newman, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Rights in Constitutional and International Law at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law
  • Geoffrey Cowper, QC, Partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
  • Kelsey Flanagan, lawyer with Henein Hutchison LLP
  • Jennifer Quaid, Associate Professor at University of Ottawa School of Law
  • Kerri Froc, Associate Professor at University of New Brunswick School of Law
  • Geoffrey Sigalet, Assistant Professor of Law and Politics at University of British Columbia’s Okanagan Campus
  • Ryan Alford, Professor at the Lakehead University Bora Laskin School of Law
  • Asher Honickman, Partner at Jordan Honickman Barristers and founder of Advocates for the Rule of Law
 
The CCF would also like to thank Chantal Bellavance, who was instrumental in putting together the course.
 
The course is available free to the public at theccf.ca/learn