GALE CRESCENT

In Canada, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms serves as a national document establishing the fundamental rights and freedoms for all Canadians. However, some provinces have enacted their own human rights laws and codes to address specific regional concerns and needs. These are generally not called "charters," but rather human rights acts or codes.

Here's a general overview:

1. Quebec : Quebec has the "Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms," which is unique among provinces. This charter provides a range of civil, political, economic, and cultural rights and has quasi-constitutional status, meaning it takes precedence over other provincial laws unless a law explicitly states otherwise.

2. Other Provinces : Most other provinces and territories have human rights acts or codes that specifically address discrimination and enforce human rights based on grounds like race, gender, disability, and more. For example:

   • Ontario : The Ontario Human Rights Code
   • British Columbia : The Human Rights Code of British Columbia
   • Alberta : The Alberta Human Rights Act

3. Scope and Focus : While provincial human rights codes focus primarily on ensuring freedom from discrimination within their respective jurisdictions (like employment, housing, or services), they do not typically encompass the broad range of rights covered by the Canadian Charter, which includes civil liberties like freedom of expression and religion.

These provincial human rights laws function alongside the Canadian Charter, and individuals in Canada are protected by both the overarching national Charter and their respective provincial or territorial codes.