What They're Looking For
Citizenship: Canadian or Permanent Resident (Canada)
Additional Notes
- Contestants must be a permanent resident or citizen of Canada or have proof of immigration status in Canada.
- Contestants must be age 15-25 at time of contest deadline. Age verification will be required for all winning contestants.
- The Justice Centre will not accept submissions from its directors, employees, representatives, or their immediate family and household members.
About Scholarship
Write an essay in response to one of the following two prompts:
Option 1: 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 2: 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?
Essay length:
- 1,200 to 1,500 words
Prizes:
- $2,000 - First place
- $1,000 - Second place
- $500 - Third place
Please Visit Application Site for more details.
About Company
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is a registered, national charity committed to defending the constitutional freedoms of all Canadians through litigation and education.
Vision
A free society where governments uphold human dignity by respecting fundamental rights and freedoms, and where Canadians can realize their potential and fulfil their aspirations.
Mission
To defend the constitutional freedoms of Canadians through litigation and education.