Civil liberties are the rights and freedoms that all citizens enjoy in a democratic society.
Citizens in a democracy are sovereign and the state is the instrument we use to govern ourselves. Our rights and freedoms flow from our sovereign status, and from the fact that we are subject to the laws we enact to regulate our own behaviour. In today's democracy, our civil liberties may be threatened not only by the state, but also by powerful private organizations and employers. The B.C. Civil Liberties Association works to protect citizens from both government and private sector intrusions into our lives. Documents may be freely downloaded for educational purposes, provided proper acknowledgement is given and the contents are not changed in any way.