The Human Rights Environment: A Snapshot
Our Mandate
The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) administers the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) and is responsible for the enforcement of employers’ obligations under the Employment Equity Act (EEA).
The purpose of the Canadian Human Rights Act is
to extend the laws in Canada to give effect, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, to the principle 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, marital status, family status, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted.
The purpose of the Employment Equity Act is
to achieve equality in the workplace so that no person shall be denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to ability and, in the fulfilment of that goal, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment experienced by women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities by giving effect to the principle that employment equity means more than treating persons in the same way but also requires special measures and the accommodation of differences.
Both laws seek to ensure that the principles of equal opportunity and non-discrimination are followed in all areas of federal jurisdiction. The Commission aims to advance equality, respect for human rights, and protection from discrimination by fostering understanding of, and compliance with, these two Acts.
The Commission delivers on its mandate through three main programs:
The Dispute Resolution Program works to resolve human rights complaints filed against federally regulated employers, service providers and individuals. The program focuses on early intervention to settle disputes. The Discrimination Prevention Program works with employers on prevention and employment equity activities to address discriminatory behaviour and demonstrate reasonable progress in representation of the four designated groups. The Knowledge Development Program develops research initiatives, policies and legal analysis, and the tools resulting therefrom. These will serve the Commission, key stakeholders and the Canadian public to foster understanding of, and compliance with, the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Employment Equity Act.The work done by these three programs is shaped by the types of human rights complaints received by the Commission and by the levels of representation of the four designated groups in federally regulated workplaces.
Portrait of Human Rights Complaints
The following tables provide a snapshot of the types and sources of human rights complaints received by the Commission in 2006. All data refer to numbers of signed complaints.
Figure 1 Grounds of Discrimination Cited in Signed Complaints*
| | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % |
Disability | 438 | 44 | 495 | 37 | 389 | 39 | 429 | 50 | 344 | 41 |
Sex | 188 | 19 | 204 | 16 | 165 | 17 | 102** | 12 | 138 | 16 |
National or ethnic origin | 94 | 9 | 141 | 11 | 109 | 11 | 73 | 8 | 84 | 10 |
Race | 71 | 7 | 146 | 11 | 105 | 11 | 74 | 8 | 80 | 10 |
Age | 65 | 7 | 159 | 12 | 60 | 6 | 51 | 6 | 55 | 7 |
Family status | 30 | 3 | 38 | 3 | 61 | 6 | 45 | 5 | 40 | 5 |
Colour | 30 | 3 | 59 | 4 | 26 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 33 | 4 |
Religion | 30 | 3 | 35 | 3 | 34 | 3 | 40 | 5 | 28 | 3 |
Sexual orientation | 31 | 3 | 27 | 2 | 21 | 2 | 23 | 3 | 25 | 3 |
Marital status | 14 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 1 |
Pardon | 3 | — | 1 | — | 5 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
Total | 994 | 100 | 1,320 | 100 | 989 | 100 | 866 | 100 | 839 | 100 |
* Total number of grounds cited exceeds the total number of complaints signed because some complaints dealt with more than one ground.
** The Commission accepted a group of 594 related complaints which are counted as one.
- Disability continued to be the most frequently cited ground of discrimination in 2006. Taken together, discrimination on the grounds of national or ethnic origin and race comprise the second most frequently cited type of complaint.
Figure 2 Type of Allegations Cited in Complaints*
| | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % |
| Employment-related (sections 7, 8, 10) | 666 | 65 | 1,048 | 66 | 834 | 67 | 821** | 75 | 782 | 73 |
| Services-related (sections 5, 6) | 128 | 13 | 195 | 12 | 179 | 14 | 132 | 12 | 102 | 10 |
| Harassment – employment (section 14) | 164 | 16 | 249 | 16 | 175 | 14 | 95 | 9 | 126 | 12 |
| Harassment – services (section 14) | 26 | 3 | 31 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 16 | 2 |
| Hate messages (section 13) | 4 | — | 10 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 20 | 2 |
| Retaliation (section 14.1) | 15 | 2 | 33 | 2 | 22 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| Union membership (section 9) | 7 | 0.5 | 2 | — | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 3 | — |
| Pay equity (section 11) | 7 | 0.5 | 7 | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | — |
| Notices, signs, symbols (section 12) | 2 | — | 9 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
| Total | 1,019 | 100 | 1,584 | 100 | 1,245 | 100 | 1,091 | 100 | 1,064 | 100 |
* Total number of allegations cited exceeds the total number of complaints signed because some complaints dealt with more than one allegation.
** The Commission accepted a group of 594 related complaints which are counted as one.