The Charter and Liberal Democracy: Parts I and II

Earlier this year, Justice Malcolm Rowe of the Supreme Court of Canada delivered a two-part Runnymede lecture series on the Charter and liberal democracy across two cities in 24 hours. Part I, “How Misunderstanding the Charter Can Weaken Liberal Democracy” (March 3, 2026), was delivered at the University of Calgary. Justice Rowe considers what happens when the Charter is understood apart from the broader system of democratic government in which it operates, and the problems that can follow. The next day, Justice Rowe travelled to Vancouver to deliver Part II, “How a Proper Understanding of the Charter Strengthens Liberal Democracy” (March 4, 2026), at UBC Allard. The second lecture considers the other side of the question: how the Charter can reinforce democratic government when understood within Canada’s wider constitutional system. This episode of Runnymede Radio brings the complete two-part series together for the first time.