Provided by
Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms
Renewable
No
Number Available
3
Type of Award
Scholarship
Automatic Consideration
No
Your essay could change the way we think about freedom in Canada
The Brandon Langhjelm Essay Contest celebrates academic excellence and fuels the ambitions of the next generation of scholars and leaders in Canada.
We want to hear your thoughts on Canada's most controversial and difficult questions about individual rights and freedoms.
This year's options:
Option One: Government Regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing industries from healthcare to finance, manufacturing to entertainment, art to academia. Some Canadians are concerned about the impacts AI could have on their rights and freedoms, including their security, privacy, equality, expression, and legal rights.
Question #1: Focus on one case in which AI threatens or could potentially threaten the rights or freedoms of Canadians. What role, if any, should the Canadian government play in protecting Canadians against AI in this case? Why should the government be permitted to intervene in the application of AI in this case (if at all)?
Option Two: Government Regulation of Hate Speech:
Freedom of expression is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Many Canadians think, however, that hate speech should be illegal in Canada. Canadian governments are proposing legislation that would see hate speech punished more severely. For instance, in early 2024, Minister of Justice Arif Virani introduced Bill C-63 (the Online Harms Act) in the House of Commons to create additional penalties for hate speech in Canada: up to life imprisonment.
Question #2: What is hate speech? Is it possible to arrive at a workable definition of "hate speech"? Does the government have a legitimate interest in censoring hate speech? Why or why not? Cite a case in which a Canadian government has censored hate speech. Was the censorship legitimate in that case?
Level of Study
High School Diploma; Certificate; Diploma; Post-diploma; Associate; Bachelor; Master;
Gender
Any
Year of Study
All Years
Citizenship
Canada
Status in Canada
Permanent Resident
Schools Attended
Any School
School of Study
Any School
Field of Study
Any Field of Study
Region of Residence
Canada
Course Load
Full-time or Part-time
Region of Study
Canada
Activities
n/s
Financial Need
No