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Federal Election October
2004: |
FOUNDATION FOR NATIONAL RENEWAL
Crafting a Model Constitution
Task Four - CITIZEN RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Having decided the criteria for Australian Citizenship, it now seems appropriate to determine what rights Citizens should be entitled to and what responsibilities they should have.
2. The current Australian Constitution bestows no rights on Australian Citizens apart from a reference to freedom of religion and entitlement to compensation for compulsory acquisition of property by the Government. Nor can I find any reference to citizen responsibilities. However, these serious omissions do not indicate a dereliction by the drafters of our Constitution. At the time of drafting it was generally accepted that rights inherent in the British system were equally applicable to Australian 'subjects'.3. Most recently enacted Constitutions across the world embody specific sections defining the rights of citizens. Of note in this regard is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (enacted in 1982) that is attached as Annex A. 4. A study of Annex B will reveal that:
TASK FOUR
THE RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENS
Using the Swiss Constitution as a guide, list the rights, freedoms, obligations and responsibilities of Australian Citizens you think should be included in our Model Constitution. Double spacing has been used to allow amendment of the wording, etc.
FNR Task 4
Whereas Canada is founded upon the principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law:
Guarantee of Rights and Freedoms
1. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
Fundamental Freedoms
2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
(a) freedom of conscience and religion
(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other means of communication.
(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
(d) freedom of association.
Democratic Rights
4. (1) No House of Commons and no legislative assembly shall continue for longer than five years from the date fixed for the return of the writs at a general election of its members.(2)
(2) In time of real or apprehended war, invasion or insurrection, a House of Commons may be continued by Parliament and a legislative assembly may be continued by the legislature beyond five years if such continuation is not opposed by the votes of more than one-third of the members of the House of Commons or the legislative assembly, as the case may be.(3)
5. There shall be a sitting of Parliament and of each legislature at least once every twelve months.(4)
Mobility Rights
6. (1) Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in, and leave Canada.
(2) Every citizen of Canada and every person who has the status of a permanent resident of Canada has the right
(a) to move to and take up residence in any province; and
(b) to pursue the gaining of livelihood in any province.
(3) The rights specified in subsection (2) are subject to
(a) any laws or practices of general application in force in a province other than those that discriminate among persons primarily on the basis of present or previous residence; and
(b) any laws providing for reasonable residency requirements as a qualification for the receipt of publicly provided social services.
(4) Subsections (2) and (3) do not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration in a province of conditions of individuals in that province who are socially or economically disadvantaged if the rate of employment in that province is below the rate of employment in Canada.
Legal Rights
10. Everyone has the right on arrest or detention
(a) to be informed promptly of the reason therefor;
(b) to retain and instruct counsel without delay and to be informed of that right; and
(c) to have the validity of the detention determined by way of habeas corpus and to be released if the detention is not lawful.
11. Any person charged with an offence has the right
(a) to be informed without unreasonable delay of the specific offence;
(b) to be tried within a reasonable time;
(c) not to be compelled to be a witness in a proceedings against that person in respect of the offence;
(d) to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal;
(e) not to be denied reasonable bail without cause;
(f) except in the case of an offence under military law tried before a military tribunal, to the benefit of trial by jury where the maximum punishment for the offence is imprisonment for five years or a more severe punishment;
(g) not to be found guilty on account of any act or omission unless, at the time of the act or omission, it constituted an offence under Canadian or International law or was criminal according to the general principles of law recognized by the community of nations;
(h) if finally acquitted of the offence, not to be tried for it again and, if finally found guilty and punished for the offence, not to be tried or punished for it again; and
(i) if found guilty of the offence and if punishment for the offence has been varied between the time of commission and the time of sentencing, to the benefit of the lesser punishment.
12. Everyone has the right not to be subjected to any cruel or unusual treatment or punishment.
13. A witness who testifies in any proceedings has the right not to have any incriminating evidence so given used to incriminate that witness in any other proceedings, except in a prosecution for perjury or for the giving of contradictory evidence.
14. A party or witness in any proceedings who does not understand or speak the language in which the proceedings are conducted or who is deaf has the right to the assistance of an interpreter.
Equality Rights
15. (1) Every individual is equal before the and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.
(2) Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.(5)
NOTE: Omitted Sections 16 to 23 deal with Canadian Official Languages.
Enforcement
24. (1) Anyone whose rights or freedoms, as guaranteed by this Charter, have been infringed or denied may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction to obtain such remedy as the court considers appropriate and just in the circumstances.
(2) Where, in proceedings under subsection (1), a court concludes that evidence was obtained in a manner that infringed or denied any rights or freedoms guaranteed by this Charter, the evidence shall be excluded if it is established that, having regard to all the circumstances, the admission of it in the proceedings would bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
General
25. The guarantee in this Charter of certain rights and freedoms shall not be construed so as to abrogate or derogate from any aboriginal, treaty or other rights or freedoms that pertain to the aboriginal peoples of Canada including
(a) any rights or freedoms that have been recognized by the Royal Proclamation of October 7, 1763; and
(b) any rights or freedoms that may be acquired by the aboriginal peoples of Canada by way of land claims settlement.(15)
26. The guarantee in this Charter of certain rights and freedoms shall not be construed as denying the existence of any other rights and freedoms that exist in Canada.
27. This Charter shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the multicultural heritage of Canadians.
28. Notwithstanding anything in this Charter, the rights and freedoms referred to in it are guaranteed equally to male and female persons.
29. Nothing in this Charter abrogates or derogates from any rights or privileges guaranteed by or under the Constitution of Canada in respect of denominational, separate or dissentient schools.(16)
30. A reference in this Charter to a province or to the legislative assembly or legislature of a province shall be deemed to include a reference to the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories, or to the appropriate legislative authority thereof, as the case may be.
31. Nothing in this Charter extends the legislative powers of any body or authority.
Application of Charter
32. (1) This Charter applies
(a) to the Parliament and government of Canada in respect of all matters within the authority of Parliament including all matters relating to the Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories; and
(b) to the legislatures and governments of each province in respect of all matters within the authority of the legislature of each province.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), section 15 shall not have effect until three years after this section comes into force.
33. (1) Parliament or the legislature of a province may expressly declare in an Act of Parliament or of the legislature, as the case may be, that the Act or a provision thereof shall operate notwithstanding a provision included in section 2 or section 7 to 15 of this Charter.
(2) An Act or a provision of an Act in respect of which a declaration made under this section is in effect shall have such operation as it would have but for the provision of this Charter referred to in the declaration.
(3) A declaration made under subsection (1) shall cease to have effect five years after it comes into force or on such earlier date as may be specified in the declaration.
(4) Parliament or the legislature of a province may re-enact a declaration made under subsection (1).
(5) Subsection (3) applies in respect of re-enactment made under subsection (4).
Citation
34. This Part may be cited as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
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Annex B to FNR Task 4 |
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SWISS CONSTITUTION OUR MODEL |
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Title 2:Fundamental Rights, Civil Rights and Social Goals Chapter 1: Fundamental Rights Art. 7 Human DignityHuman dignity shall be respected and protected. Art. 8 Equality before the Law1. All human beings are equal before the law. 2.Nobody shall suffer discrimination, particularly on grounds of origin, race, sex, age, language, social position, lifestyle, religious, philosophical or political convictions, or because of a corporal or mental disability. 3. Men and women have equal rights. Legislation shall ensure equality in law and in fact, particularly in family, education, and work. Men and women shall have the right to equal pay for work of equal value. 4. Legislation shall provide for measures to eliminate disadvantages affecting disabled people. Art. 9 Protection against Arbitrariness and Principle of Good Faith Every person has the right to be treated by the state organs without arbitrariness and in good faith. Art. 10 Right to Live and Personal Freedom1. Every person has the right to live. The death penalty is prohibited. 2. Every person has the right to personal liberty, particularly to corporal and mental integrity, and to freedom of movement. 3. Torture and any other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishments are prohibited. Art. 11 Protection of Children and Young People 1. Children and young people have the right to special protection of their integrity and to encouragement of their development. 2. They may exercise their rights themselves to the extent of their capacity to discern. Art. 12 Right to Aid in Distress Persons in distress and incapable of looking after themselves have the right to be helped and assisted, and to receive the means that are indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. Art. 13 Right to Privacy 1. All persons have the right to receive respect for their private and family life, home, and secrecy of the mails and telecommunications. 2. All persons have the right to be protected against the abuse of personal data. Art. 14 Right to Marriage and Family The right to marry and to have a family is guaranteed. Art. 15 Freedom of Religion and Philosophy 1. The freedom of religion and philosophy is guaranteed. 2. All persons have the right to choose their religion or philosophical convictions freely, and to profess them alone or in community with others. 3. All persons have the right to join or to belong to a religious community, and to follow religious teachings. 4. No person shall be forced to join or belong to a religious community, to participate in a religious act, or to follow religious teachings. Art. 16 Freedom of Opinion and Information 1. The freedom of opinion and information is guaranteed. 2. All persons have the right to form, express, and disseminate their opinions freely. 3. All persons have the right to receive information freely, to gather it from generally accessible sources, and to disseminate it. Art. 17 Freedom of the Media 1. The freedom of the press, radio and television, and of other forms of public telecasting of productions and information is guaranteed. 2. Censorship is prohibited. 3. Editorial secrecy is guaranteed.
Art. 18 Freedom of Language
The freedom of language is guaranteed. Art. 19 Right to Primary Education The right to sufficient and free primary education is guaranteed. Art. 20 Freedom of Science The freedom of scientific research and teaching is guaranteed. Art. 21 Freedom of Art The freedom of art is guaranteed. Art. 22 Freedom of Assembly 1. The freedom of assembly is guaranteed. 2. Every person has the right to organize assemblies, to participate in them or to stay away from them. Art. 23 Freedom of Association1. The freedom of association is guaranteed. 2. Every person has the right to form associations, to join or to belong to them, and to participate in their activities. 3. No person shall be forced to join or to belong to an association. Art. 24 Freedom of Domicile 1. Swiss citizens have the right to establish their domicile anywhere within the country. 2. They have the right to leave or to return to Switzerland. Art. 25 Protection against expulsion, extradition, and removal by force 1. Swiss citizens may not be expelled from the country; they may be extradited to a foreign authority only with their consent. 2. Refugees may not be removed by force or extradited to a state in which they are persecuted. 3. No person shall be removed by force to a state where he or she is threatened by torture, or another means of cruel and inhuman treatment or punishment. Art. 26 Right to property 1. The right to property is guaranteed. 2. Expropriation and restrictions of ownership equivalent to expropriation shall be fully compensated. Art. 27 Economic Freedom1. Economic freedom is guaranteed. 2. It contains particularly the freedom to choose one’s profession, and to enjoy free access to and free exercise of private economic activity. Art. 28 Freedom to Unionize I. Workers, employers, and their organizations have the right to unionize for the defense of their interests, to form unions and to join them or to keep out of them. 2. Conflicts shall be resolved to the extent possible through negotiation and mediation. 3. Strike and lockout are permitted when they relate to labor relations, and when they are not contrary to obligations to keep labor peace or to resort to conciliation. 4. Legislation may prohibit certain categories of persons from striking. Art. 29 General Procedural Guarantees 1. Every person has the right in legal or administrative proceedings to have the case treated equally and fairly, and judged within a reasonable time. 2. The parties have the right to be heard. 3. Every person lacking the necessary means has the right to free legal assistance, unless the case appears to be without any chance of success. The person has moreover the right to free legal representation, to the extent that this is necessary to protect the person’s rights. Art. 29a Guarantee of Legal Proceedings Every person has the right to have legal disputes judged by a judicial authority. The Confederation and the Cantons may in exceptional cases exclude judicial proceedings. Art. 30 Judicial Proceedings 1. Every person whose case must be judged in judicial proceedings has the right to have this done by a court that is established by law, has jurisdiction, and is independent and impartial. Exceptional tribunals are prohibited. 2. A person against whom a civil action is brought has the right to have the case heard before the court at the person’s domicile. Legislation may provide for another jurisdiction. 3. The court hearing shall be public, and the judgment shall be publicly proclaimed. Legislation may provide for exceptions. Art. 31 Habeas Corpus 1. No person may be deprived of liberty except in the cases and in the forms provided by statute. 2. All persons deprived of their liberty have the right to be informed immediately, and in a language that they understand, of the reasons for their detention, and of their rights. They must have the opportunity to assert their rights. In particular, they have the right to have their close relatives informed. 3. Every person taken in to preventive detention has the right to be brought before a judge without delay; the judge shall decide whether the person shall remain in detention or shall be released. Every person in preventive detention has the right to be judged within a reasonable time. 4. All persons who are deprived of their liberty with out a trial have the right to seize a court at any time. The court shall decide as soon as possible whether the detention is legal. Art. 32 Criminal procedure 1. Every person shall be presumed innocent until the person is Subject to a condemnation having force of law. 2. Every accused person has the right to be informed as soon as possible and in full detail of the accusations. The person must have the opportunity to exercise their means of defense. 3. Every condemned person has the right to have the judgment reviewed by a higher court. The cases where the Federal Supreme Court sits as a court of sole instance are reserved. Art. 33 Right of Petition 1. Every person has the right to address petitions to authorities without suffering prejudice. 2. The authorities must take cognizance of petitions. Art. 34 Political Rights 1. The political rights are guaranteed.
5. The guarantee of political rights protects the free formation of
opinion by the citizens and the unaltered expression of their will.
Art. 35 Realization of Fundamental Rights 1. The fundamental rights shall be realized in the entire legal system. 2. Whoever exercises a function of the state must respect the fundamental rights and contribute to their realization. 3. The authorities shall ensure that the fundamental rights also are respected in relations among private parties whenever the analogy is applicable. Art. 36 Limitations of Fundamental Rights 1. Any limitation of a fundamental right requires a legal basis. Grave limitations must be expressly foreseen by statute. Cases of clear and present danger are reserved. 2. Any limitation of a fundamental right must be justified by public interest, or serve for the protection of fundamental rights of other persons. 3. Limitations of fundamental rights must be proportionate to the goals pursued. 4. The essence of fundamental rights is inviolable. OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Chapter 3: Social Goals Art. 41 1. The Confederation and the Cantons shall strive to ensure that, in addition to personal responsibility and private initiative, d. every person capable of working shall sustain himself or herself through working under fair and adequate conditions; Art. 59 Military and Alternative Service 1. Every Swiss man must render military service. The statute shall provide for an alternative service. 2. For Swiss women, military service is voluntary.
3. Swiss men who render neither military nor alternative service owe a
tax.
4. The Confederation shall legislate on fair compensation for loss of income.
5. Those who render military or alternative service and thereby suffer
health impairment or lose their lives, have the right for themselves
or their relatives to adequate support by the Confederation.
Art. 61 Civil Defence 3. The Confederation may make the civil defense service compulsory for men. Art. 6 Individual and Social Responsibility All persons are responsible for themselves, and shall make use of their abilities to contribute to achieving the goals of state and society.
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Note to Members
This list is not exhaustive. Please use the space below and additional pages to submit further recommendations on rights and responsibilities.
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Last updated: 19 June 2001