A Look Through History: The Evolution of Abortion Rights

Description

This activity explores the evolution of the right to abortion in Canada. During the activity, the students learn about an important player in the judicial system: the Supreme Court of Canada. The students play the role of Supreme Court judge and write a judgment that addresses the question of the right to abortion.

Educational objectives

• Discover how the right to abortion has evolved.
• Discover the current legal framework of the right to abortion.
• Learn about the role of the Canadian and Quebec charters.
• Learn about the role of the Supreme Court of Canada, how it works and how its judges make their decisions.

Programs of study and competencies

Culture and Citizenship in Québec - Secondary

Secondary IV

Cultural realities: Justice and the law - Legal and judicial institutions.

Compulsory specific concepts, and related topics and examples: Fundamental rights recognized by the charters, Supreme Court.

Secondary V

Cultural realities : Search for meaning and world views – Social and cultural integration

Compulsory concepts: Choices related to adulthood, Parenthood, Individual and collective responsibilities related to sexuality

Cultural reality: Social groups and power relations – Social inequalities

Compulsory concept: Control of women’s bodies and reproductive capacities

• Competency 1: Studies cultural realities:
  • Analyzes social relations:
    • Characterizes relations between individuals, groups and institutions.
    • Situates these relations in time and space.
• Competency 2: Reflects on ethical questions:
  • Examines a variety of points of view:
    • Considers points of view and experiences.
    • Compares reference points.
    • Contextualizes reference points.

History of Québec and Canada

Program content: 1945–1980 – The modernization of Québec and the Quiet Revolution

Historical knowledge: feminism

• Competency 2: Interprets a social phenomenon
  • Defines the object of interpretation
  • Analyzes a social phenomenon

Duration

5 periods

Connections with other subjects

• Secondary English Language Arts

• Sexuality education: Content related to pregnancy and the voluntary termination of a pregnancy, Secondary IV and V

Broad areas of learning

• Health and Well-Being: Awareness of the consequences of collective choices on individual well-being
• Citizenship and Community life: Promotion of the rules of social conduct and democratic institutions

Cross-curricular competencies

• Uses information: Puts information to use
• Communicates appropriately

Related content

• The Quebec Judicial System

• Laws of Quebec and Canada

• The Supreme Court of Canada

• Abortion for People Under 18

• Abortion: Free and Legal Throughout Pregnancy