National Constitutional provisions – Canada

The Constitution of Canada Constitution Acts 1867 to 1982, Consolidated as on 1 April 1999 Act adopted 1982 

EDUCATION
Art.16.1
(1) The English linguistic community and the French linguistic community (in New Brunswick) have equality of status and equal rights and privileges, including the right to distinct educational institutions (& ). 
Art. 23
(1) Citizens of Canada 
     (a) Whose first language learned and still understood is that of the English or French linguistic minority population of the province in which they reside, or
     (b) Who have received their primary school instruction in Canada in English or French and reside in a province where the language in which they received that instruction is the language of the English or French linguistic minority population of the province, have the right to have their children receive primary and secondary school instruction in that language in that province.
(2) Citizens of Canada of whom any child has received or is receiving primary or secondary school instruction in English or French in Canada, have the right to have all their children receive primary and secondary school instruction in the same language.
(3) The right of citizens of Canada under Subsections (1) and (2) to have their children receive primary and secondary school instruction in the language of the English or French linguistic minority population of a province
    (a) Applies wherever in the province the number of children of  citizens who have such a right is sufficient to warrant the provision to them out of public funds of minority language instruction; and
    (b) Includes, where the number of children so warrants, the right to have them receive that instruction in minority language educational facilities provided out of public funds.

EQUALITY

Article 15

 (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.

(2) Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.

Article 36

1) Without altering the legislative authority of Parliament or of the provincial legislatures, or the rights of any of them with respect to the exercise of their legislative authority, Parliament and the legislatures, together with the government of Canada and the provincial governments, are committed to

(a) promoting equal opportunities for the well-being of Canadians;

(b) furthering economic development to reduce disparity in opportunities; and

(c) providing essential public services of reasonable quality to all Canadians.

MINORITIES

Article 25

The guarantee in this Charter of certain rights and freedoms shall not be construed so as to abrogate or derogate from any aboriginal, treaty or other rights or freedoms that pertain to the aboriginal peoples of Canada including

(a)      any rights or freedoms that have been recognized by the Royal Proclamation of October 7, 1763; and

(b)      any rights or freedoms that now exist by way of land claims agreements or may be so acquired.

      Article 35

(1)     The existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed.

(2)      In this Act, "aboriginal peoples of Canada" includes the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada.   

GENDER 

Article 28

 Notwithstanding anything in this Charter, the rights and freedoms referred to in it are guaranteed equally to male and female persons.

 LANGUAGE

 Article 16

(1) English and French are the official languages of Canada and have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions of the Parliament and government of Canada.

Article 23

1) Citizens of Canada

(a) whose first language learned and still understood is that of the English or French linguistic minority population of the province in which they reside, or

(b) who have received their primary school instruction in Canada in English or French and reside in a province where the language in which they received that instruction is the language of the English or French linguistic minority population of the province,

have the right to have their children receive primary and secondary school instruction in that language in that province.

(2) Citizens of Canada of whom any child has received or is receiving primary or secondary school instruction in English or French in Canada, have the right to have all their children receive primary and secondary school instruction in the same language.

RELIGION

Article 2

Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

(a) freedom of conscience and religion

 HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

 Article 24

(1) Anyone whose rights or freedoms, as guaranteed by this Charter, have been infringed or denied may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction to obtain such remedy as the court considers appropriate and just in the circumstances.