CALGARY, AB: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces the launch of a campaign calling on the governments of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to repeal provisions in their human rights legislation that give commissions and tribunals power over the expression of opinions on moral, social, and political issues.

The campaign focuses on section 7 of British Columbia’s Human Rights Code, section 3 of Alberta’s Human Rights Act, section 14(1)(b) of The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, 2018, and section 18 of The Human Rights Code of Manitoba.

Human rights laws serve an important purpose when they protect citizens from discrimination in employment, housing, services, contracts, education, and other areas of civic life. Unlike those anti-discrimination protections, however, the four provincial human rights law sections identified above regulate expression itself, exposing Canadians to complaints, investigations, hearings, legal costs, and financial penalties for expressing opinions on matters of public interest.

The Alberta Human Rights Commission is currently prosecuting Benita Pedersen over a flyer opposing a proposed rainbow crosswalk in Westlock. Alberta business owner Karen Richert also faces a human rights complaint over comments she posted online about a “family-friendly” drag show.

In February 2026, the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal ordered former Chilliwack School Board Trustee Barry Neufeld to pay $750,000 to various gay and transgender teachers because he criticized imposing gender ideology on children.

Saskatchewan and Manitoba both have similar harmful provisions that need to be repealed.

In May 2026, the Justice Centre released Speech on trial: Censorship by human rights commissions, which examined how human rights legislation has been used to investigate and punish expression rather than discriminatory conduct.

Canadians in the four western provinces can take action in only a few minutes. The Justice Centre’s online tool provides a prepared letter tailored to the legislation in each province. Users can select their province, review the letter, and send it directly to the responsible minister.

“Human rights commissions were built to stop people being denied a job, a home, or a service because of who they are. That work still matters. What they were not built to do is sit in judgment of public argument”, said John Carpay, President of the Justice Centre.

“Keep the law aimed at discriminatory conduct. Leave debate and opinion, even sometimes unpopular opinion, outside the complaint process,” he added.

The Justice Centre is Canada’s leading civil liberties organization fighting for Charter rights and freedoms in courts of law and in the court of public opinion. Founded in 2010, the Justice Centre funds lawyers across Canada, relies entirely on voluntary donations to carry out its mission, and issues official tax receipts to donors.