Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom The 2025 Brandon Langhjelm Essay Contest 2025

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms invites young Canadians to participate in the 2025 Brandon Langhjelm Essay Contest. This competition challenges youth to explore fundamental issues surrounding individual rights and freedoms in Canada through thoughtful, well-argued essays.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Interview Process
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineOctober 26, 2025
• Value$500 - $2,000
• Study Level
• SponsorJustice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms
• Course to studyHuman Rights and Global Ethics
• Eligible CountryCanada

Benefits

• First Place: $2,000

• Second Place: $1,000

• Third Place: $500
  Winning essays may also be published by the Justice Centre.

Requirements

Eligibility 

• Contestants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or be able to provide proof of immigration status.
• Contestants must be aged 15-25 at time of contest deadline. Age verification will be required for all winning contestants. 
• The Justice Centre will not accept submissions from its directors, employees, representatives, or their immediate family and household members. 

Length 

• Essays should be at least 1,200 words but should not exceed 1,500 words.  
• The word count does not apply to footnotes or to bibliography.  
• The word count must be included on the submitted document.

Formatting 

• Essay should contain a title page that includes (1) the essay title, (2) word count, and (3) submission date
• Essays should not contain any personal, identifying information about the contestant (e.g., their name, email address, or gender). Essays containing such information will be disqualified
• Essays should contain a clearly marked (1) introduction, (2) body (and/or body subheadings), (3) conclusion, and (4) bibliography.
• Essays should be double-spaced with (a minimum of) one-inch margins
• Any font is acceptable (Times New Roman is preferred)

Sources 

• Essays should use a variety of sources – academic journals, news sources, magazines, books, government documents, or publications from think tanks and research organizations.
• At least three of the cited materials should be primary sources (i.e., not a second-hand account of a primary source).
• General non-academic encyclopedias (including Wikipedia) are not acceptable sources. Any citations to general encyclopedias in the footnotes or bibliography will result in deductions.
• Expert-reviewed and specialized encyclopedias such as the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP), Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (REP), and Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP) are good as secondary
• If you are unsure if your source is acceptable, it is best to exclude it.

Citations

• Contestants must submit an original essay. By submitting an essay, contestants acknowledge that the material is original and their own.
• All sources should be properly cited. (The Justice Centre has no citation style preference. However, whatever style is used must be used consistently and properly.)
• Essays that contain plagiarism (use someone else’s work without properly citing them) will be automatically disqualified.
• Essays will also be monitored for the use of AI. Essays that were generated with AI will be automatically disqualified.

Selection Process

Essays will be selected based on

• Engagement with theory and ideas

• Original argument and clear structure

• Practical policy suggestions where appropriate

• Clarity, coherence, and style

• Word count between 1,200 to 1,500 words

Check also:
Shopify Dev Degree Program 2026 (Fully Funded)
York University President's International Scholarship of Excellence 2026

Application Deadline

How To Apply

Visit the official Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms website. Complete the application form and upload your essay by October 26, 2025, at 11:59 PM (local time)