The Great Charter The Magna Carta of 1215 is one of the most significant historical documents in the English speaking world. The Great Charter marked the first instance of a King being compelled to accept a list of terms drafted by his subjects. In 1770, British Prime Minister William Pitt the … [Read more...]

The river of refugees from Syria reminds us that human history is full of examples of how states have abused their unlimited sovereign power against their citizens. They may have denied them basic rights to express themselves or to vote for their political leaders. People may have been tried and … [Read more...]

Let us begin with a confession. When presented with the opportunity four years ago to become involved in bringing Magna Carta to Canada for its 800th anniversary commemoration, we were not very well-versed in what exactly Magna Carta was. For starters, we were still calling it “the Magna Carta” … [Read more...]

Magna Carta was signed in June 1215 in an effort to end an internal conflict between King John and a group of barons who were opposed to his conduct as sovereign. Much of the document (also known by its English name, “The Great Charter”) addresses the rights of the church and of businessmen and … [Read more...]

In a world that increasingly asks our students to tweet, post, snapchat, google, and otherwise digitize their educational experiences, Magna Carta Canada has done the extraordinary by bringing to Canada a document that provides a direct link to eight centuries of legal history, including humanity’s … [Read more...]