The Canadian Human Rights Commission PRESENTATION OVERVIEW Mandate

The Canadian Human Rights Commission

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW • • Mandate Complaints Promotion Functions Priority Issues 2

MANDATE • The CHRC has a broad mandate to both promote and protect human rights. • The CHRC administers the Canadian Human Rights Act and conducts audits under the Employment Equity Act • It also has new mandated responsibilities by virtue of the Accessible Canada Act and the Pay Equity Act, and new responsibilities under the National Housing Strategy Act • The CHRC has also been designated with responsibility to monitor Canada’s implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 3

COMPLAINTS • The CHRA lists 13 prohibited grounds of discrimination: • • • • Race Colour National or ethnic origin Religion Age Sex (including pregnancy) Sexual orientation Gender identity or expression Genetic characteristics Family status Marital status Disability (mental or physical, includes substance dependence) Conviction for which a pardon has been granted or a record suspension ordered Complaints can relate to employment or services in federal jurisdiction, which includes: federal government departments and agencies; Crown corporations, Canadian Forces and the RCMP; First Nations governments; and the federallyregulated private sector (banks, interprovincial / international transportation companies, telecommunications and broadcasting, etc). 4

COMPLAINTS • Once it accepts a complaint, the CHRC can: • Refer the complaint to an alternate redress mechanism (for example, a grievance process or a different tribunal) • Mediate the complaint • Investigate the complaint • Dismiss the complaint (either before or after an investigation) • Refer the complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, which is separate from the CHRC, for a hearing 5

COMPLAINTS – BY THE NUMBERS • In 2019: • 36, 000 people contacted the CHRC to ask about filing a complaint. • 1, 230 complaints were accepted, which is the highest in a decade. • 57% of complaints were employment related. • 36% of complaints were service related. • 8% of complaints alleged harassment. • 42% of complaints cited more than one ground. • 52% of complaints cited disability, and of these 53% related to mental disabilities (27% of complaints overall). • The number of complaints citing disability, national or ethnic origin, race, colour, or religion were the highest they have been in a decade. 6

PROMOTION • In addition to its complaints-handling mandate, the CHRC promotes and protects human rights by: • • • Producing policies, studies and reports to Parliament; Providing advice on government legislation and policies; Conducting public education; Conducting research; Engaging with civil society and other stakeholders, government departments, Parliamentarians, the media and others; and • Engaging with other human rights institutions. • The CHRC’s promotion mandate is not limited to matters of antidiscrimination or to the 13 prohibited grounds (section 27 of the CHRA). 7

PRIORITY AREAS OF WORK • Hate and intolerance • Marginalized communities are increasingly the target of discrimination and hate related incidents. • Economic, social and cultural rights • Canadians in vulnerable and dire circumstances are experiencing poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, and other social and economic disparities. 8