Assignment - Political and Legal Systems

For this assignment, you will be reading a fictional case study which demonstrates how all three branches of government can affect the daily life of an average Canadian citizen who might not be so different from yourself. 

You will then read a news article about a situation that went to the BC Supreme Court. You will then explain how all three branches of government were involved in this real-life case. 

Fictional Case

Trevor is a 17 year old, grade 11 student who went fishing one day, as he has done since he was a kid, at a river near his house in a small town in BC. As he was leaving the river, he was spotted by a fisheries officer who asked to see the four trout in his bucket. He was asked for his fishing license, which he admitted he did not have. The officer charged him with fishing without a license, gave him a ticket of $500 and took his catch, as well as his rod and reel. 

Trevor decided to challenge this charge on the basis that he had been fishing here without a license since he was a kid, that everyone he knows does it, and that he didn't know that it was illegal. In the local court, the judge chose to uphold the charge, telling Trevor that he must pay the fine but he agrees that Trevor can have his rod and reel back as long as he promises to get a license before fishing next time. 

The law requiring Trevor to have a fishing license was created by the legislative branch of the provincial government. The fisheries officer is employed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which is a provincial ministry. He works for the executive branch of the government which enforces the laws. The judge is part of the judicial branch of the provincial government. He interprets the law by deciding that Trevor's defense does not hold up. By allowing Trevor to recover his rod and reel, he has overridden the officer, which is a further interpretation of the law. 

Your assignment - Step 1 - Summarizing

Read the article below, entitled "Korean Immigrant."

In one paragraph, summarize the case. 

Step 2 - Interpreting

Write a second paragraph in which you address the following:

According to the Constitution, which freedoms and rights were exercised in this case? 

Which legislation was involved? Which level of government was involved? Which branches of government were involved at each step?

Who enforced the law and who interpreted it? What was the interpretation? 

In this paragraph, be sure to use the following terms: accused, defense attorney, judge. 

Step 3 - Analyzing

Write a third paragraph in which you respond to this statement:

Was this ruling fair, and why should it or shouldn't it be appealed?

Format this assignment as one document consisting of three paragraphs, each of which is titled.