While one-third of Canadians say they have read the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, many fail to distinguish between its text and that of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, a new survey suggests.

There is also significant division when it comes to whether Canadians agree with the opening line of the Charter, which sets the tone for the rest of the document.

害羞草研究所淭hey feel they know it better than they actually do,害羞草研究所� said Jack Jedwab, president of the Association for Canadian Studies, which commissioned the poll along with the Metropolis Institute.

害羞草研究所淲e need more Charter education, if you害羞草研究所檇 like. Or more Charter literacy.害羞草研究所�

The results are based off of a web survey of 1,502 Canadians in September by the Leger polling firm. Online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they are not considered truly random samples.

Jedwab害羞草研究所檚 association released the findings to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the United Nations adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Dec. 10, 1948.

The survey asked respondents whether they had read the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which was signed in 1982, and 33 per cent answered that they had.

That is compared to 62 per cent of participants who said they had not, and a remaining five per cent who responded that they either did not know or preferred not to answer.

When asked a yes-or-no question echoing the Charter害羞草研究所檚 introductory statement 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淐anada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� 38 per cent of respondents said they agreed, compared to 37 per cent who said they did not. One-quarter said they didn害羞草研究所檛 know or preferred not to answer.

Jedwab said the results are more striking when narrowed to those who said they had actually read the document.

Those who did were more likely to agree with its opening line, but that still only amounted to 47 per cent.

Of those who said they hadn害羞草研究所檛 read the document, nearly two-thirds either disagreed with it or said they didn害羞草研究所檛 know or preferred not to answer.

Jedwab suggested that the division can be traced to how respondents felt about the reference to God, since Canadian society sees itself as secular.

Many Canadians also fail to understand the difference between the Charter and the rights outlined in the U.S Declaration of Independence, the survey suggests.

Asked whether everyone living in Canada has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, 88 per cent of respondents answered 害羞草研究所測es,害羞草研究所� compared to only nine per cent who answered 害羞草研究所渘o害羞草研究所� and three per cent who declined to provide a response.

There is no reference to the 害羞草研究所減ursuit of happiness害羞草研究所� in the Canadian document, which instead refers to 害羞草研究所渓ife, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 know our Charter sufficiently well,害羞草研究所� Jedwab said. 害羞草研究所淓ven if we purport to know it.害羞草研究所�

The survey also tested Canadians害羞草研究所� knowledge of whether the federal government can limit rights.

The Charter allows that to happen under the notwithstanding clause. Provincial governments in Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan have stirred debate in recent years for using the clause pre-emptively.

Among those who said they have read the Charter, nearly 65 per cent of respondents answered 害羞草研究所測es害羞草研究所� when asked whether the Canadian government can limit their rights, compared to 24 per cent who said 害羞草研究所渘o.害羞草研究所�

Just over half of those who hadn害羞草研究所檛 read the document agreed the government can limit their rights, versus about one-third who said it can害羞草研究所檛.

When it came to which rights Canadians rank as the most important, Jedwab said the findings show respondents prioritized individual rights ahead of group minority rights.

For example, asked to rank in order which Charter rights need the most protecting, 17 per cent of respondents chose freedom of expression first, followed by the right to privacy and then gender equality at 14 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively.

Freedom of assembly and freedom of religion were each picked first by five per cent of participants, while three per cent of respondents ranked minority language rights as their top selection.

害羞草研究所淭he rights of vulnerable minorities are not getting ranked as highly on the scale,害羞草研究所� Jedwab said.

A separate survey that Leger conducted for the same groups asked Canadians whether they felt everyone is born with an equal chance of succeeding.

The findings suggest a big generational gap on that belief, Jebwab said.

About 51 per cent of respondents between 35 and 44 answered 害羞草研究所測es害羞草研究所� to the question of whether everyone is born with an equal opportunity to succeed in Canada. That jumps to 60 per cent or higher for those aged 55 and older.

But less than one-third, or 32 per cent, of respondents aged 18 to 34 agreed with the statement.

Jedwab said he thinks the gap reflects the economic challenges younger generations are facing, including with housing affordability.

害羞草研究所淭he ability to own a home or purchase a home right now is very challenging for that younger generation right under 35.害羞草研究所�

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Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press