A Minor essays

A Minor essays Every citizen in Canada is guaranteed specific democratic and legal rights which are set out in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. However, in the case of Bethany Hughes, a sixteen-year old girl who refused blood transfusions due to certain religious beliefs, and then was given dozens of blood transfusions against her will, it would seem that some of these rights were taken away from her because she was a minor. Such a controversial issue is multi-dimensional; one must consider many aspects of the case such as the governments will in its doing, precedent or similar cases, and which specific rights and freedoms were being violated, if any. Because Bethany was a Jehovahs Witness, she refused the blood transfusions in adherence to her faith and religious beliefs (Christians believe the Bible says people should not accept others blood into their bodies). The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states in section 2(a) that every citizen of Canada has freedom of conscience and religion. Bethany refused the blood transfusions because that is what she believed as a Jehovahs Witness. In the article, it says that Bethany was given the transfusions anyway because a panel of judges agreed that even though Bethany was considered a mature minor she couldnt make the medical decision on her own because she had been extremely influenced by fellow Jehovahs Witnesses. Regardless of any persuasion by her fellow believers, which the judges had no real proof of anyways, Bethany Hughes decision to not have the transfusions should have been respected based on the direct violation of section 2(b) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Be thany has the right to freedom of conscience and religion, as set out in the Charter, as a citizen of Canada, minor or not. The same argument applies to section 2(c) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which states that every citiz...