Skip to main content

The Bernard Chernos Contest

Each year, the CCLET presents a nation-wide high school essay/video contest to commemorate the work of Bernard Chernos. Student entries address pressing and timely civil liberties issues in Canada (often issues the CCLA itself is working on). Entries can be submitted either as essays or as videos for a chance to win cash prizes!

The Bernard Chernos Contest makes a great ready-made assignment for a wide range of high school courses; we also welcome and encourage entries in French!

Contest finalists are selected and judged by volunteers with scholarly and practical expertise in law, education, civil liberties and human rights from across the country.

There will be two sets of winners; essay and video entries will be judged separately.

1st place essay and video: $750

2nd place essay and video: $500

3rd place essay and video: $250

The 2025-2026 Bernard Chernos Contest is now open!

Thank you for your interest and participation in the Bernard Chernos high school essay/video contest.

See below for the 2025 winners!

Click HERE to enter and for full contest details!

About Bernard Chernos

Bernard Chernos was a civil libertarian, lawyer and a lover of lively debate. He graduated from the faculty of law at the University of Toronto as a gold medalist in 1957. In more than 40 years of practice, Mr. Chernos never lost his passion for the academic aspect of law.

This contest has been generously funded by the Chernos Family in memory of the great Bernard Chernos.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Bernard Chernos Contest!

1st Place

Essay: Sophie Liu (Vancouver, BC)

Video: Madilyn Miller (Toronto, ON)

2nd Place

Essay: Lhyzz Carpizo (Scarborough, ON)

Video: Owen Fang & Noah Yang (Coquitlam, BC)

3rd Place

Essay: John Karakoulas (North York, ON)

Video: Samiha Nasreen (East York, ON)

Honourable Mention

Essay: Jia Ming (Jason) Zhang (Vancouver, BC)

Video: Maria Martins (Toronto, ON)

Honourable Mention

Essay: Jéon Brar (Mississauga, ON)

Video: Matthew Mucci (Toronto, ON)

en_CAEnglish (Canada)