Human rights

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees that basic human rights and freedoms are respected in legislation and the administration of justice. The charter guarantees:

• Fundamental freedoms such as freedom of speech, thought and religion (for example, the freedom of newspapers to write about anything, the freedom to gather with other people and discuss anything you wish).
   
• Equality rights which ensure people have equal protection and benefit from the law. In particular, equality rights protect people from discrimination based on race, country of origin, religion, colour, sex, age and mental or physical disability. This also means that a person who does not speak or understand English has a right to have an interpreter present at legal proceedings.
   
• Legal rights which include the right to be presumed innocent of a crime until proven guilty in court, the right to contact a lawyer if you are arrested by the police, the right to a fair trial and the right to protection against the police entering your home without legal justification.
   
• Mobility rights which include the right to travel, live and look for work anywhere in Canada.

If you feel your rights under the Charter have been violated, talk to a lawyer or contact the Court Challenges Program of Canada (CCPC). The CCPC provides financial assistance for important court cases that advance language and equality rights guaranteed under Canada's Constitution. For more information, see the CCPC website or call (204) 942-0022 (collect calls are accepted).

Both the Government of Canada (federal) and the Government of Alberta (provincial) have commissions that investigate complaints of discrimination. These commissions have different areas of responsibility.

The Canadian Human Rights Act

The Canadian Human Rights Act applies to federally regulated employers, unions and service providers who offer goods, services, facilities or accommodation to the public.

The Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of:

• Age.
• Colour.
• Disability.
• Family status.
• Marital status.
• National or ethnic origin.
• Race.
• Religion.
• Sex.
• Sexual orientation.
• Conviction for which pardon has been granted.

For more information, see the Canadian Human Rights Commission website or contact the Commission directly at:

The Canadian Human Rights Commission
308, 10010-106 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3L8
 
Telephone: 780-495-4040 in Edmonton
1-800-999-6899 toll-free
1-888-643-3304 (toll-free TTY line for deaf and hard of hearing persons)
E-mail: info.com@chrc-ccdp.ca

The Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act

The Alberta Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act applies to provincially regulated employers and service providers. The Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of:

• Age.
• Ancestry.
• Colour.
• Family status.
• Gender.
• Marital status.
• Mental disability.
• Physical disability.
• Place of origin.
• Race.
• Religion.
• Sexual orientation.
• Source of income.

For more information, see the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission website or call one of the Commission's offices:

Edmonton
800, 10405 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4R7
Telephone: 780-427-7661
To call toll-free from elsewhere in Alberta, dial 310-0000, then enter the area code and telephone number after the prompt.

Calgary
310, 525-11 Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2R 0C9
Telephone: 403-297-6571
To call toll-free from elsewhere in Alberta, dial 310-0000, then enter the area code and telephone number after the prompt.

TTY service for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing
Edmonton: 780-427-1597
Calgary: 403-297-5639
Toll-free: 1-800-232-7215
E-mail: humanrights@gov.ab.ca

Human rights complaints and settlements

If you believe you are being treated unfairly because of your race, religious beliefs, colour, gender or any other personal characteristic listed above, you can call the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission or the Canadian Human Rights Commission to make a confidential inquiry.

If you choose to make a complaint, do it as soon as possible after the incident. After 12 months have passed, a Commission may not be able to accept a complaint.

A complaint can be made with the help of an interpreter if necessary. Immigrant-serving agencies may help with interpretation and translation.

If a complaint is accepted, the appropriate commission will try to get both sides in the dispute to agree on a settlement. A settlement can range from a letter of apology and an education session for an employer, to money paid for lost wages and pain and suffering.

If no settlement is reached, the commission investigates the complaint and makes a decision that is subject to judicial review (federal) or can be appealed (provincial).

Date Updated: Mar 20, 2009
RDP-602