Jurisprudence Handbook

Article Index

Federal and Provincial Legislation Relevant to Dietetics

Federal

The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act describes how the Canadian Government controls certain drugs, their precursors, and other substances. The Act details eight Schedules.

The Food and Drug Act authorizes Health Canada to establish standards for safety and nutritional quality for all food items sold in Canada to protect Canadians against products that make false nutrition related claims through inaccurate packaging, labelling, and advertising. The need for sanitary production, preparation, and storage facilities is also addressed. Ensuring accurate labelling allows dietitians to trust that their clients are consuming safe, nutritious foods and that the nutritional information on the label can be used as part of their counselling. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency enforces this Act.

The Canadian Human Rights Act was established to extend the law to ensure that all individuals should have an opportunity equal with other individuals to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have and to have their needs accommodated, consistent with their duties and obligations as members of society, without being hindered in or prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered.

Provincial

The Occupational Health and Safety Act is legislation based on the assumption that employees and contractors share the responsibility of safe workplace environments with the employer or owner of a workplace. The Act establishes workplace health and safety standards.

The  Workers Compensation Act (2005) provides a legal framework for administering the Workers' Compensation Board's prevention, return to work, assessment, and compensation programs.

Nova Scotia Labour Standards set out the minimum employment rules that employers and employees must follow. The Standards set out rules specific to recruitment and hiring.

Nova Scotia’s Children and Family Services Act protects children from harm, promotes the family's integrity, and assures the children's best interests.