Charles Roach facts for kids

Charles Conliff Mende Roach (born September 18, 1933 – died October 2, 2012) was an important Canadian civil rights lawyer. He was also a strong activist in the Black community in Toronto. He worked hard to make sure everyone had equal rights.

Early Life and Education

Charles Roach was born in Belmont, Trinidad and Tobago. His father was a leader in a trade union. In 1955, Charles came to Canada. He first planned to become a priest and studied at the University of Saskatchewan.

During this time, he became very interested in the Civil Rights Movement. This movement fought for equal rights for all people. Charles said this era made him more focused on political action. He then decided to study law at the University of Toronto. He became a lawyer in 1963.

Fighting for Equal Rights

In the 1960s, Charles Roach worked as a lawyer for the city of Toronto. At the same time, he helped organize and join marches and protests for equal rights. He opened his own law office in 1968. His firm, Roach and Schwartz Associates, became well-known.

He helped many people who needed support. This included people seeking safety in Canada. He also represented domestic workers who faced unfair deportation in the 1970s. Charles was also a strong voice against police actions he believed were unfair. In 1999, he traveled to Rwanda. There, he helped represent people in important human rights cases.

Charles Roach became a key leader in Toronto's Black community. He helped start the Caribana festival, which celebrates Caribbean culture. He was its first chairperson. In 1978, he created the Movement of Minority Electors. This group encouraged people from diverse backgrounds to get involved in politics. He was also a founding member of the Black Action Defence Committee. This group worked to protect the rights of Black Canadians.

His Fight for a Canadian Republic

Charles Roach was a member of Citizens for a Canadian Republic (CCR). This group wanted Canada to become a republic, meaning the Queen would no longer be the head of state. Charles was a permanent resident of Canada. He chose not to become a Canadian citizen because of the Oath of Citizenship. This oath includes a promise to be loyal to the Canadian monarch.

He had sworn allegiance to the Queen twice before. Once was in the 1950s when he was a reservist. The second time was when he became a lawyer.

In 1992, Charles Roach argued in court that the Canadian citizenship oath was unfair. He believed it went against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This Charter protects the rights of all Canadians. The court did not agree with him, and his appeal to the Supreme Court was also turned down.

He tried again in 2007 with another lawsuit. The court allowed his case to move forward. However, his case was dismissed in January 2009. Charles Roach went to court one more time in 2012. He continued to argue that the oath of allegiance was not fair. The court allowed the case to continue, but it was dismissed in September 2013.

Death

Charles Roach passed away on October 2, 2012. He died in Toronto from brain cancer.