Rights and Citizenship

“Human rights” is a broad term for those rights that we are all entitled to simply because we are human (e.g. freedom from slavery and torture, equality before the law, right to food and shelter). These rights support decency and dignity for all. Sometimes these rights are protected by specific laws, for example, anti-discrimination laws.

In a democracy, we also have civil rights, sometimes called civil liberties, which can be understood as protecting individuals from the government. These include freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech.

In Canada, one of the protections of our civil rights is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is part of our constitution. Together with these rights, we have responsibilities as Canadian citizens to participate fully in the democratic life of Canada and to understand and uphold Canadian values. Below you will find resources that deal with these topics.

For information on becoming a Canadian citizen or immigrating to Canada see: Resources for Immigrants and Refugees

The resources on this page were hand-picked by the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta's staff as a good place to start.

You may also find helpful resources listed under these legal topics: Human rights, Civil liberties, immigration, refugees,  Charter of rights, Citizenship and nationality, Political process and voting