Section 15(1) prohibits discrimination on several grounds. Which of the following is explicitly protected?

• A. Race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.
• B. Language spoken at home only.
• C. Political beliefs.
• D. Marital status.

Answer: (A)

Section 15(1) prohibits discrimination on a specific, explicit set of grounds, and the list is clear: race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability. Because this question asks which ground is explicitly protected by that provision, the match is exact with the enumerated categories in the text. The other options describe attributes not contained in that explicit list, so they aren’t protected in the straightforward reading of Section 15(1). There can be debates about whether other characteristics fall under “analogous grounds” or are protected under related constitutional provisions, but for the purpose of identifying explicit protection in Section 15(1), the enumerated list is the correct basis.