1. Introduction

When it comes to talking about rights, we are often so positive about our own opinion that we close our minds to the opposition. We may like to think that we're reasonably tolerant, but who among us has not disparaged beliefs and ideas that challenge our own?

Open minded debate has great value. Exchange of perspectives provides opportunity to view a problem from more than one side. Participants in such discussion gain a more complete view of a problem and a clearer understanding of their personal values. Of course, debate can persuade us to a change our mind about an issue. It can also reinforce our commitment to the position we began with. Most importantly, by debating rights issues, we become skilled in defending our values clearly, concisely and confidently. Talk About Rights is not a textbook. It is intended to serve as an enrichment or a supplement to regular coursework in Social Studies, History, Law or English at the Senior 4 level. The topics also lend themselves very well to interdisciplinary projects, which could easily involve activities in business, communication and creative arts courses. Talk About Rights aims to stimulate student interest in Canadian human and civil rights by considering four contemporary rights topics. A list of concepts and a selection of assignments follows each article. To assist with these activities a copy of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms has also been included. It is hoped that general discussion of the topics will draw students into an exploration of ideas about individual rights, human dignity, equality and mutual obligation.

Talk About Rights also aims to encourage critical analysis. Beginning with the assumption that bias is intrinsic to discussions of rights, Talk About Rights seeks to present bias as a normal and potentially legitimate aspect of social discourse. Therefore the task for each student is to become skilled in recognizing and assessing the particular world view which informs a given perspective, including one's own.

To make the best use of class time, reading should be assigned beforehand. Students should first read the entire article and become familiar with the main concepts. In preparing for general class discussion, students should make clear and concise notes of the positions and supporting arguments presented in each the article. Having the article and definitions in front of them in class will enable students to follow and participate in class discussion. It is important to emphasize to students that no position is necessarily right or wrong. Open discussion can reveal the broad variety of beliefs and opinions associated with a particular rights issue. Informal discussion should be followed by an individual or team project.

For teachers, handouts listing relevant print and multimedia material available on loan, can be obtained from the Instructional Resources Department, Manitoba Education and Training. Regularly updated, these detailed bibliographic lists on topics such as human rights, student debating and race relations are free for the asking. A selection of topic-related titles has been included in this worktext.

For students, relevant information can be found in school and public libraries. Numerous organizations and federal offices are also very helpful with free materials related to human rights. Examples of such sources include the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties, the United Nations office in Winnipeg, the provincial and federal Human Rights Commissions, the Community Legal Education Association (CLEA), and Census Canada. Newspapers, news magazines and on-line data banks are another source of information for many of the assignments in this worktext.

The topics explored in Talk About Rights are well suited to a variety of group activities such as formal debate, position papers, reports or on-line discussions with students in other regions of the country. The entire process, from selection of a rights issue to researching its background and social significance, to choosing and defending a position, offers opportunities for developing skill in making informed judgments, for reasoning, and for debate. Open discussion with peers that requires weighing of evidence and sorting good from bad arguments is a worthwhile exercise in itself. The focus on issues such as freedom of speech, affirmative action and privacy offers senior students an opportunity to consider future directions for their society.