SS30 Illiberalism

War Measures Act

gave the federal government sweeping powers to ensure "the security, defence, peace, order, and welfare of Canada"

FLQ crisis

First and only time the War Measures Act was used during peace time.

enemy alien

A resident of Canada who had citizenship in an enemy country during the First or the Second World War (e.g. Japanese Canadians). Other examples include people who held citizenship from Germany or Italy in WWII, and those who had held citizenship of the Austro-Hungarian Empire or the German Empire in WWI.

Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms

This 1982 legislation is a modern liberal document, in that it incorporates both negative freedoms (e.g. the government cannot limit free speech) as well as positive freedoms (the government must provide education in either English or French).

constitution

The supreme law of the land. It takes precedence over all other laws in the country and describes how a country governs itself. It contains rules or principles which tell the government what it can or cannot do.

US Bill of Rights

The collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. These amendments add certain safeguards of democracy: specific guarantees of personal freedoms and rights; clear limitations on the government's power in judicial and other proceedings; and explicit declarations that all powers not specifically delegated to Congress by the Constitution are reserved for the states.

individual rights and freedoms

a key principle of individualism and an important feature of liberal democracies. Include freedom of religion/conscience, association, the right to life and liberty and security of the individual.

collective rights

rights guaranteed to specific groups in Canadian society for historical and constitutional reasons. These groups are Aboriginals, Francophones, and Anglophones.

voter apathy

Indifference and inaction on the part of individuals or groups with respect to the political process.

gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

party solidarity

in the Canadian system, a requirement that all party members vote with their party, except in rare instances when the party leadership explicitly frees them from this obligation, in what is known as a free vote.

lobby groups

Groups of people who attempt to directly influence or persuade governments to adopt particular policies or practices.

affirmative action

A policy designed to redress past discrimination against women and minority groups through measures to improve their economic and educational opportunities.

waterboarding

An interrogation technique in which a large volume of water is poured over a bound person to simulate the sensation of drowning.

racial profiling

Any police-initiated action that relies on race, ethnicity, or the national origin of an individual instead of on individual acts or behavior.

post-modernism

A philosophy that states that multiple views of truth exist yet are all equally true--there is NO absolute truth

PATRIOT Act

Following the 9-11 terrorist attacks, the American federal government almost unanimously passed this piece of legislation. It gave the government & its agents greater powers to detect and prevent future terrorist attacks.

No-Fly List

The proper term for this is Canada's Passenger Protect Program, and it allows the government to deny air travel to individuals involved in or suspected of supporting terrorist activities.

Kyoto Protocol

An international agreement drafted in 1997 to limit greenhouse gas emissions. An example of how national interests may not match up with international goals, or how immediate economic interests can trump more longer-term interests.

Guantanamo Bay

American military base in Cuba specifically for suspected terrorists captured as part of the War on Terror. Inmates do not have the same legal rights as American prisoners, or even those given to POWs.

consumerism

This feature of modern economies focuses on producing mass quantities of lower-quality goods. This results in more frequent purchases, and therefore higher profits.