What about property rights?

I think most people would agree, one of the primary roles of any central government is (or should be?) to protect property rights.

Why then is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, established in 1982 by the government of Pierre Trudeau, completely silent on the topic of property rights?

Among 38 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development , only Canada and New Zealand lack explicit constitutional protection for property rights.

When Trudeau negotiated the new Charter with the provinces, several premiers were against the inclusion of property rights because they feared such rights would limit their ability to enact policies and legislation.

Although Trudeau was initially against its exclusion, he wasn't willing to fight the premiers on this issue, so it was left out deliberately.

So what, you may ask?

(His son, former prime minister) Justin Trudeau's use of the Emergencies Act in 2022—later deemed illegal and unreasonable—froze bank accounts and seized financial assets (temporarily) - a blatant disregard of property rights if there ever was one. It basically "deputized" the banks into aiding and abetting this illegal activity, with zero pushback from them whatsoever.

Housing policies provide many examples of governments disregarding property rights, including rent controls, “renoviction” bylaws, taxes on vacant homes, taxes on recreational property and prohibiting the use of property for short term rentals.

The current proposal for a high-speed rail line between Ontario and Quebec exempts the government from paying market value, or anything at all, for anyone's private property that sits in the way. It also prevents land owners from doing any improvements to their own property for the next four years if the government expresses an interest that they may one day need said land.

One hears of instances whereby the government confiscates the clubhouse of a motorcycle gang even if only one or two, or in some cases none, of the gang’s members were convicted of a crime.

The 2025 federal budget amended Canada's copyright law so artists are entitled to a portion of all future sales of their work. That means if you buy a painting and later sell it, the original artist will have a legal right to a portion of your proceeds.

Probably most blatant of all is the recent court ruling in Richmond, B.C., which declares aboriginal title is a "senior and prior interest" to fee simple land ownership. Premier David Eby's proclaimed “shock” at the development is disingenuous and political hypocrisy at its best. Where that debacle lands is anyone's guess.

So, little by little, bit by bit, governments at all levels in Canada are taking away our rights and, for the most part, Canadians are either unaware or don't care. We give up our rights at our own peril, and especially to the extreme detriment of our children and grandchildren.

Now, at least, you can't claim that you didn't know.

Lloyd Vinish, Kelowna