521)SECTION 10: THE JUSTICE SYSTEM; The Stephen Harper Government's Citizenship Guide; Quotes Of Minister Jason Kenney

Among the tens of thousands of people from six continents who visit my Blog there must be a significant number who may show an interest in becoming Canadian citizens now or in the future. Consequently I am showcasing on my Blog the Stephen Harper Conservative Government's magnificent new Citizenship Guide for prospective Canadian citizens unveiled on November 12th 2009, the day after Rememberance Day. When I read the online version of this booklet I came away feeling a deep sense of awe and admiration for the country I have lived in for the past 36 years, 5 as a landed immigrant and 31 as a citizen. Indeed this booklet should not just be required reading for prospective Canadians but also for established Canadian citizens of all ages. It's always refreshing to remind ourselves about our secular democracy-its evolution, history, system of government, regions, rights and responsibilities, justice system, economy, symbols, achievements and much, much more. The text of the booklet has been carefully researched and well written and the many photographs wisely chosen. While I have reproduced all the text from the Guide in the following Blogposts one cannot fully appreciate the material without also looking at the photographs and their captions. For that reason each Blogpost has two links to the original page on the Citizenship And Immigration Canada(CIC) website, one at the beginning and one at the end of the post.

On another forum I made the following comment to commemorate Rememberance Day on November 11th 2009: Canada is a stable secular democratic state with a solid, longstanding and admirable history. It is not a disparate bunch of autonomous multicultural fiefdoms as some political parties would have you beleive. Canada is the Magna Carta(1215), War of 1812, British North America Act(1867), Boer War(1899-1902), Vimy Ridge, Ypres and Paschendale(1914-1918), Dieppe, Monte Cassino, D-Day, Juno Beach, Belgium and Holland(1939-1945), Korean War(1950-1953), Cold War(1917-1989), Vietnam War(1960's) and Afghanistan(post 2001).


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-10.asp

Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

SECTION 10: THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

The Canadian justice system guarantees everyone due process under the law. Our judicial system is founded on the presumption of innocence in criminal matters, meaning everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Canada’s legal system is based on a heritage that includes the rule of law, freedom under the law, democratic principles, and due process. Due process is the principle that the government must respect all of the legal rights a person is entitled to under the law.

(Picture): Scales of Justice, Vancouver Law Courts. The blindfolded Lady Justice symbolizes the impartial manner in which our laws are administered: blind to all considerations but the facts

Canada is governed by an organized system of laws. These laws are the written rules intended to guide people in our society. They are made by elected representatives. The courts settle disputes and the police enforce the laws. The law in Canada applies to everyone, including judges, politicians, and the police. Our laws are intended to provide order in society, to provide a peaceful way to settle disputes, and to express the values and beliefs of Canadians.


Courts

The Supreme Court of Canada is our country’s highest court. The Federal Court of Canada deals with matters concerning the federal government. In most provinces there is an appeal court and a trial court, sometimes called the Court of Queen’s Bench or the Supreme Court. There are also provincial courts for lesser offences, family courts, traffic courts, and small claims courts for civil cases involving small sums of money.

(Pictures)
From left to right:
Jury benches Ottawa police constable helping a young boy at the Aboriginal Day Flotilla
Prisons have an essential role in punishing criminals and deterring crime


Police

(Picture): Border guard with sniffer dog inspects the trunk of a car at the Canada-US border

The police are there to keep people safe and to enforce the law. You can ask the police for help in all kinds of situations — if there’s been an accident, if someone has stolen something from you, if you are a victim of assault, if you see a crime taking place, or if someone you know has gone missing.

There are different types of police in Canada. There are provincial police forces in Ontario and Quebec and municipal police departments in all provinces. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) enforce federal laws and serve as the provincial police in all provinces and territories except Ontario and Quebec, as well as in some municipalities. Remember, the police are there to help you.

You can also question the police about their service or conduct if you feel you need to. Almost all police forces in Canada have a process by which you can bring your concerns to the police and seek action.


Getting legal help

Lawyers can help you with legal problems and act for you in court. If you cannot pay for a lawyer, in most communities there are legal aid services available free of charge or at a low cost.


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/section-10.asp


Quotes Of Canadian Minister Of Citizenship, Immigration And Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney(2009):

1)When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada.
2)I think it's scandalous that someone could become a Canadian not knowing what the poppy represents, or never having heard of Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, Dieppe or Juno Beach.
3)We mention freedom of conscience and freedom of religion as important rights but we also make it very clear that our laws prohibit barbaric cultural practices, they will not be tolerated, whether or not someone claims that such practices are protected by reference to religion.
4)I think we need to reclaim a deeper sense of citizenship, a sense of shared obligations to one another, to our past, as well as to the future, a kind of civic nationalism where people understand the institutions, values and symbols that are rooted in our history.


Easy Nash