The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, known as the Charter, is a far-reaching document contained in the Constitution Act, 1982. It guarantees all Canadians certain rights such as the rights to liberty and equality under the law. It also guarantees fundamental freedoms such as freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and freedom of association and peaceful assembly. These are guaranteed only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. The Charter is the supreme law of the land. This means that it, normally, takes precedence over any federal or provincial law. That is, if any legislation, either provincial or federal, conflicts with the rights guaranteed in the Charter, it must be amended appropriately or it is likely to be struck down by the courts. Last Reviewed: August 2015