It was on April 17, 1982, that Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau signed the Charter, thereby guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms for all Canadians.
In honour of this milestone, the Canadian Bar Association introduced Law Day in 1983 as a means to commemorate the event and educate the public about the legal system.
Law Day – Law Week in many jurisdictions – is marked by projects and activities taking place across the country. Activities include lectures on the law, mock trials, courthouse tours, fun runs, open citizenship courts, and poster, photography and website design contests aimed at elementary and high school students. Most activities are geared towards high school students.
Law Day is made possible through the efforts of hundreds of lawyers who donate thousands of hours of volunteer time to the event. Timing of Law Day events varies across the country.
For information and details on Law Day / Law Week activities in your area, please contact your local Branch of the CBA:
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
- Ottawa 5K Fun Run/Walk in support of the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa
- Ottawa Public Library Lectures