About the Prize:
Each year, CCLET holds a high school essay competition in honor of the late Bernard Chernos, a civil libertarian, lawyer, and lover of lively debate. Students from across Canada are asked to respond to one of three questions dealing with a conflict of Charter rights and freedoms for a chance to win $500 and a copy of When Freedoms Collide, by CCLA General Counsel Emeritus, the late A. Alan Borovoy. The winning student’s school also receives a book and cheque for $250. This year the prize celebrates its 17th anniversary.
Congratulations to the 2018 winners for their ability to think critically about challenging dilemmas in a democratic society, and balance competing interests in a compelling fashion!
1st place:
Keonhee Lee from Coquitlam, British Columbia
Essay on the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons’ policy on mandatory effective referrals
2nd place:
Mackenzie Tran from Calgary, Alberta
Essay on the Canada Border Service Agency’s procedure for demanding social media passwords from travellers
3rd place:
Tyler Gerald from Toronto, Ontario
Essay on whether or not the public library should ban certain groups from renting library space
4th place:
Harman Virk from Brampton, Ontario
Video on whether or not the public library should ban certain groups from renting library space
For more information about CCLET’s annual Chernos Essay Competition, click here.
About the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The CCLA is an independent, non-profit organization with supporters from across the country. Founded in 1964, the CCLA is a national human rights organization committed to defending the rights, dignity, safety, and freedoms of all people in Canada.
For the Media
For further comments, please contact us at media@ccla.org.
