Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into effect April 17, 1982 is only one part of the Canadian Constitution which is the supreme law of Canada. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is applicable to all Canadian citizens and newcomers; however, certain rights apply only to Canadian citizens such as the right to vote or the right to enter and leave Canada freely. While the Charter contains rights and freedoms that Canadians consider essential for a free and democratic society, provincial and territorial governments also have laws that provide rights and freedoms.
The Charter guarantees these freedoms for everyone in Canada:
- Freedom of conscience and religion;
- Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
- Freedom of peaceful assembly; and
- Freedom of association.
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, April 17, 2012
The Charter is very clear that every individual in Canada is equal regardless of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, colour, sex, age or physical or mental disability. To read more about equality rights in Canada click here.
Visit the Department of Canadian Heritage for a full guide to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Department of Canadian Heritage promotes the rights, responsibilities and privileges of Canadian citizenship and is responsible for the federal government’s domestic interest in human rights.
To read more about the history of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms click here.
Canadian Human Rights Act
Discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex or sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or pardoned conviction is prohibited by the Canadian Human Rights Act. Visit the Canadian Human Rights Commission for more information.
Status of women
For more information on the rights of women visit Status of Women Canada.
Provincial and territorial human rights
Visit the human rights organization in your province or territory:
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Québec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
Your rights as a student
As an international student in Canada you are afforded the rights and freedoms as outlined above, which includes having your rights protected on campus. This means that you have the right to be free of discrimination based on your race, gender, sex, place of origin, nationality, colour, religion, sexual orientation, age, or any mental or physical disability you might have.
If you think that your rights have been violated, or you have been discriminated against on campus, there are a few courses of action that you can take. Talk to your student union or a member of student government at your school, they can help guide you through the process of making a complaint. Talk to your campus’ ombudsperson. An ombudsperson does not advocate for the education institution or the individual; however, he or she will be able to discuss your situation impartially and confidentially, inform you of your school’s rules, regulations, policies, and procedures, and refer you to the appropriate person for resolution. He or she may also act as a mediator. The objective here is to resolve the complaint informally, before it goes to the formal process.
The Canadian justice system
For further information on rights that protect everyone in Canada when dealing with the justice system click here.
For a better understanding of Canadian law and to learn more about Canada’s system of justice visit the Government of Canada Department of Justice website.