This year's question:

Since March of 2020, government lockdown measures to combat COVID-19 have restricted citizens’ Charter freedoms to move, travel, associate, assemble and worship. Some have supported these measures as necessary and beneficial for saving lives. Others have argued that the cure is worse than the disease, citing increases in unemployment, poverty, anxiety, depression, alcoholism, drug overdoses, suicides and family violence, as well as cancelled surgeries and other examples of an underutilized medical system, and a weakened economy.

Which government-mandated lockdown measures are justifiable, which are not, and why?

We suggest reviewing our COVID legal actions on our website before writing your essay.

Deadline: Monday, November 2nd, 2020 at 12am Pacific.

Early bird: Submit by August 31, 2020 and be entered to win a Justice Centre T-shirt and prize pack.

1st Place - $2,000 | 2nd Place - $1,000 | 3rd Place winner - $500

2020 Judges

Eligibility

This contest is open to all students enrolled at a Canadian post-secondary institution.

Length, format, and evaluation criteria

The essay should not exceed 2,500 words. Please submit your essay in PDF or Word format using the form below, or email it to essaycontest@jccf.ca. Quality of writing and persuasiveness of argument will be the central criteria considered by the judges.

We suggest reviewing our COVID legal actions on our website before writing your essay.