Vol. 7 No. 1 (2021): Special Edition: The Charter at Forty

This special edition of the PSUR seeks to examine the ongoing legacy of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms forty years after its inception. Students were encouraged to submit articles from a wide range of disciplines, including: political science, sociology, as well as original works not intended for class-related purposes. In essence, this edition of the PSUR focuses on discussing the Charter in a multitude of ways. Thus, this special edition includes five novel articles and two reprinted articles that describe the complex history and legacy of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The PSUR is proud to collaborate with Dr. Catherine Kellogg, Dr. Yasmeen Abu-Laban, and the Department of Political Science in showcasing works submitted to the 2021 Undergraduate Student Essay Contest. In addition, the PSUR would also like to recongnize the contributions from the Political Science Undergraduate Association (PSUA) and students who continuously contribute to undergraduate research initiatives, for without their support, the PSUR would not be where it is today.

In 1983 Peter Greyson poured a mixture of red paint and glue over one of two copies made of the Proclamation of the Constitution Act of 1982 in an act of apparent protest. Initially Greyson said that he was protesting the decision to allow the United States to test cruise missiles over Canadian airspace but he has declined to comment since. 

The red blotch on our cover is the same blotch that remains on the Proclamation today.

The colour red continues to be symbolic in Canadian culture. From the colour of our flag, to poppies, and even Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the PSUR encourages all of our readers to think about what red symbolizes in Canada.