POL214Y1 Lecture Notes - Parliament Of Montenegro, Responsible Government
Document Summary
What is the constitution: the supreme law of canada, charter of rights and freedoms is now part of the constitution. It is applied in canada and outside of canada. Living tree doctrine: the constitution is "alive" For example, it is not the constitution that says same-sex marriage is possible, but the supreme. It is the supreme court that breathes life into the constitution: like a living tree, branches fall off over time. For example, women obtained the right to be in the senate in 1930. Not just a piece of paper: the constitution reflects social movements and government institutions. In fact, some people accept same-sex marriage because the court says that it is constitutional. Three pillars of the constitution: responsible government, federalism, charter of rights and freedoms. 1848: the constitution was governed by convention, convention: an obligatory constitutional rule that we all understand. For example, we will be outraged if an election winner does not get their position.
