The Harper government will mark the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the repatriation of the Constitution with a news release. Irwin Cotler is unimpressed.

Simply put, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is promotive and protective of what the pursuit of justice is all about. It is promotive and protective not only of the inherent dignity and worth of every human being, but the equal dignity and worth of all human beings — where one can aspire to a society which celebrates both equality and human dignity — a society which not only speaks to us in terms of who we are — that recognizes the dignity of difference — but also in terms of what we as Canadians, both collectively and individually, can aspire to be.

It would be only appropriate for the government to recognize the singular significance of the Charter by celebrating and commemorating its 30th anniversary, and recognize its place and importance in both the juridical and political history of Canada, and beyond.