Until Magna Carta's Arrival in Canada
Magna Carta has arrived in Canada! See it at the Legislative Assembly of Alberta Visitor Centre starting November 23!
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta and its companion document, the Charter of the Forest, set the groundwork for many concepts that continue to define democratic life today. As symbols of justice, they also act as powerful reminders that those who govern do so only by the consent of the people.
key principles:
- Nobody is above the law of the land: The basis of equal justice at all levels of society.
- Habeas Corpus: Freedom from unlawful detention without cause or evidence.
- Trial by jury: Rules to settle disputes between barons and the Crown established trial by a jury of one’s peers.
- Women's rights: A widow could not be forced to marry and give up her property – a major first step in women's rights.
Charter of the Forest
The companion document of the Magna Carta, the Charter of the Forest, was originally issued in 1217. Canada will receive the 1300 exemplification.
- Universal human rights: Key rights and protections for the common man.
- Protection of the commons: Sets clear limits to privatization and the importance of stewardship for shared resources.
ight centuries later,
agna Carta Canada 2015
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