The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms Offers Two Scholarships for Canadian Students
Are you a writer or photographer? You could win up to $2,000 for sharing your opinions on Canadian rights and freedoms.
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Do you want to change the world? How about changing the way Canadians think about freedom? If you’ve got an interest in legal studies, government, or human rights, then the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms has the scholarships for you! They’re offering two scholarships for students to address their thoughts on Canadians’ rights and freedoms.
These scholarships are your chance to show off your impressive writing skills or your eye for creativity!
Deadline: October 27, 2024
First place: $2,000; Second place: $1,000; Third place: $500
The Brandon Langhjelm Essay Contest is your chance to share your thoughts on Canada’s most controversial and difficult questions about individual rights and freedoms. This year, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms wants to hear your thoughts on one of two topics that are prevalent today: the government regulation of artificial intelligence or the government regulation of hate speech.
Am I eligible for the Brandon Langhjelm Essay Contest?
Before diving in and starting your essay, let’s make sure you’re able to apply for this scholarship. To be eligible for this award, you must be:
- a permanent resident or citizen of Canada or have proof of immigration status in Canada
- aged 15-25 at time of contest deadline
- not a director, employee, representative, or immediate family and household member of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms
Essay questions
It’s time to get a better idea of what your essay should look like! You can choose from one of two questions to answer in your essay:
- Government regulation of artificial intelligence: Focus on one case in which AI threatens or could potentially threaten the rights or freedoms of Canadians. What role, if any, should the Canadian government play in protecting Canadians against AI in this case? Why should the government be permitted to intervene in the application of AI in this case (if at all)?
- Government regulation of hate speech: What is hate speech? Is it possible to arrive at a workable definition of “hate speech”? Does the government have a legitimate interest in censoring hate speech? Why or why not? Cite a case in which a Canadian government has censored hate speech. Was the censorship legitimate in that case?
Essay guidelines
Writing an essay can be daunting when you don’t know where to start. Luckily the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms helps you get a clearer idea of what you’ll need to begin. You already know your choice of questions to answer, so once you’ve decided which one to pursue, you’ll need to know what else is expected of your essay.
Your essay should be at least 1,200 words, but no more than 1,500 words. This doesn’t include your footnotes or bibliography, and you’ll need to include your final word count in your submission. Yes, having a bibliography means you are expected to use sources in your essay. You should use a variety of sources, like academic journals, news sources, magazines, online and print newspapers, books, government documents, or publications from research organizations, but not from general encyclopedias like Wikipedia.
For a full list of essay requirements, check out the Brandon Langhjelm Essay Contest criteria and guidelines.
Apply for the Brandon Langhjelm Essay Contest now
Deadline: October 27, 2024
First place: $2,000; Second place: $1,000; Third place: $500
A picture is worth a thousand words, so instead of writing an essay, why not unleash your creativity to depict what freedom in democracy looks like to you? With the Justice Centre Photography / Digital Art Contest, you can choose from three different mediums to showcase:
- Photography: Minimal edits
- Digital art: Created entirely digitally
- Mixed media: Combines photographic elements with digital manipulation. May include canvas paintings and photo collages
With the Justice Centre Photography / Digital Art Contest, you can submit up to three original entries, regardless of category, for your chance to win. Your submissions will be judged based on four criteria:
- Creativity and originality
- Technical excellence
- Artistic appeal
- Relevance to theme
Contest theme
The 2024 contest theme is: capture what freedom in democracy looks like to you.
Not quite sure where to begin? Check out these theme examples to get your creative juices flowing:
- Freedom of Expression: A street mural in Toronto, showcasing the vibrant expression protected by the Charter.
- Right to Assembly: Protesters peacefully assemble in Ottawa, exercising their Charter-protected right.
- Freedom of Religion: Individuals worship together in a Montreal religious center, embodying the Charter’s freedom of religion.
- Equality Rights: Diverse individuals stand united, representing the Charter’s commitment to equality.
Am I eligible for the Justice Centre Photography / Digital Art Contest?
To be eligible to apply for the Justice Centre Photography / Digital Art Contest, you must:
- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or able to provide proof of immigration
Contest guidelines
When submitting your three entries, you’ll need to follow these guidelines for your pieces to be eligible:
- Entries must be in JPEG or PNG format and should not exceed 15 MB per file
- File names should follow the format: Artist’sName_ArtTitle_MediumUsed
- Each entry must include a brief description
Apply for the Justice Centre Photography / Digital Art Contest now
Don’t forget — the deadline to apply for both of these scholarships is October 27, 2024! While October may seem ages away, now’s the time to get started on your essay or photography/digital art so you can really address the question and nail the theme. Good luck and apply before October 27th!
Learn more about the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms