Contested Constitutionalism

Contested Constitutionalism Synopsis

The introduction of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982 was accompanied by much fanfare and public debate. This book does not celebrate the Charter; rather it offers a critique by distinguished scholars of law and political science of its effect on democracy, judicial power, and the place of Quebec and Aboriginal peoples twenty-five years later. By employing diverse methodological approaches, contributors shift the focus of debate from the Charter's appropriateness to its impact - for better or worse - on political institutions, public policy, and conceptions of citizenship in the Canadian federation.