The 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta And What It Means To Us.

The Year 2015 marks the 800^th anniversary of Magna Carta, the Great Charter imposed on King John by his barons in the 13^th century.  Magna Carta has been one of history’s most significant documents upholding human rights including the American Declaration of Independence, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  For Canadians it has influenced key documents from the Royal Proclamation of 1763 that shaped the then British colonies and their relations with First Nations to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  

From October 4 to November 7, 2015 the original Magna Carta will be on display with a special exhibit at Fort York as part of a special 800^th anniversary and once in a lifetime Canadian tour taking Magna Carta to Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton.  

Our speaker today is the author of Magna Carta and Its Gifts to Canada.  Carolyn Harris teaches history at the University of Toronto School Of Continuing Studies.  She received her Ph.D. in European history from Queen’s University in 2012.  Her writing has appeared in numerous publications including the Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, Smithsonian and the BBC News Magazine, and she is a frequent guest on television and radio.  She lives in Toronto.