Overview of the Promise

During the 2025 federal election campaign, Mark Carney, as Liberal Party leader, promised to stand up for the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This commitment included protecting the values the Charter was founded on, which he described as under threat, and ensuring the protection of Canada's most vulnerable people. The promise was part of a broader platform emphasizing defense of fundamental rights amid external pressures like U.S. trade threats and internal challenges such as rising hate and inequality.

Actions Taken by the Carney Government

Since taking office in April 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney has made several public statements and policy moves aligned with upholding the Charter. On the 42nd anniversary of the Charter in April 2024 (noted in ongoing references), Carney issued a statement reaffirming its role in representing freedom, democracy, equality, diversity, and inclusion. This was echoed in campaign rhetoric and post-election actions, such as emphasizing the federal government's role as a defender of LGBTQ+ rights. Carney publicly stated that "we are all Canadians" and committed to protecting these communities, particularly in response to provincial legislation affecting transgender youth.

Legislatively, the government advanced Bill C-5, which passed swiftly in June 2025. This bill focuses on fast-tracking major national projects while incorporating assurances that Indigenous rights—protected under the Charter—would be respected. Carney assured Métis leaders that their voices would be heard, positioning this as a way to build Canada strong while safeguarding Charter values. Additionally, during the campaign, Carney promised protections for houses of worship, making it a criminal offense to threaten or impede access to synagogues, community centers, and schools, which ties into protecting vulnerable groups from hate and antisemitism.

On public safety and borders, Carney announced measures to crack down on crime, including tackling online harms and illegal flows from the U.S., framing these as protections for vulnerable populations. However, the Online Harms Bill (C-63) died in April 2025 without passage, representing a setback in addressing online hate, which Carney had described as "pollution" threatening Charter values.

Challenges and Criticisms

Despite these efforts, the Carney government has faced criticism for actions that appear to undermine Charter protections. In August 2025, the government intervened in a labor dispute involving Air Canada workers represented by CUPE, siding with the corporation and prompting accusations of damaging workers' collective bargaining rights under the Charter. Critics, including unions, argue this "caves to corporate pressure" and erodes freedom of association, a core Charter value.

Commentators like Joanna Baron have highlighted inconsistencies in Carney's record, pointing to his campaign rhetoric on civil liberties versus actions that could restrict speech, such as framing online content as pollution requiring government action. There are also concerns about gender equality, with the elimination of the ministry for women and gender equality seen as a signal amid rising gender-based violence. Indigenous opposition to Bill C-5's fast-tracking provisions has raised questions about whether the legislation fully protects Charter-guaranteed rights for vulnerable Indigenous communities.

Progress on Specific Promise Elements

The promise breaks down into three key points: standing up for the Charter, protecting its foundational values under threat, and ensuring protection for the most vulnerable. On standing up for the Charter, Carney's statements and Bill C-5 demonstrate active engagement, though labor interventions suggest selective application. Protecting foundational values like equality and freedom has seen advancements in LGBTQ+ and anti-hate commitments, but the failure of the Online Harms Bill and criticisms of speech restrictions indicate gaps. Ensuring protection for vulnerable people is evident in promises for synagogues and Indigenous consultations, yet actions like the Air Canada dispute and ministry cuts risk alienating workers and women.

This promise is currently in progress, with some legislative and rhetorical steps forward but notable shortcomings. To become kept, the government must pass comprehensive legislation addressing online harms, resolve labor disputes without Charter infringements, and demonstrate consistent protection across all vulnerable groups, such as through reinstated gender equality measures and full Indigenous rights adherence in projects. It would be broken if further interventions erode rights, such as additional overrides of collective bargaining or failure to counter provincial threats to transgender rights, leading to successful Charter challenges in court.

Overall Status

This promise is in progress.