Introduction The constitutional freedom of expression that Canadians enjoy does not extend to private workplaces. What are employee limits on speaking out against private employers?The last Employment Law column narrated the story of Ms. Kim, a media specialist in the position of Senior … [Read more...]
Human Rights and A Poisoned Work Environment
There have been several recent news stories about harassment issues in Canadian workplaces. For example, a 2013 review of the Calgary Police Services workplace was recently released, containing detailed allegations of sexual harassment, intimidation, bullying and even sexual assault within the … [Read more...]
Cumulative Cause.1
The workplace “was not a grade five classroom”. Kim v. International Triathlon Union IntroductionThe workplace is a challenging setting to manage. One must be proficient at dealing with a range of people with all kinds of personalities, backgrounds and styles. The manager in small … [Read more...]
Solitary Confinement: “Abandon Every Hope, Ye who Enter”
“Abandon every hope, ye who enter”DANTEIn 2003, an artist named Jackie Sumell created a project that rebuilt an Angola inmate’s tiny 6x9 foot cell where he spent 41 years in solitary confinement. The cell toured the United States for the sole purpose of raising awareness about solitary … [Read more...]
Genetic Discrimination is Being Addressed in Canadian Law
With many recent advances in technology, testing can disclose information about people’s health that was not available even a few years ago. For example, genetic testing can reveal that a person has a gene mutation that causes or increases the risk of an inherited disorder. This information may be … [Read more...]
Gender Equality in Canadian Politics
There is a long-standing concern about the under-representation of women (and minorities) in our political system. There are several theories about why these groups are not reflected in politics in ways that represent their numbers in Canada. The issue has been recognized, and recently, a proposed … [Read more...]
Legal Remedies at Human Rights Commissions
Introduction Canada has one federal and separate provincial and territorial Human Rights Commissions established and governed by their respective enabling legislation. These human rights commissions exist to protect human rights, prevent discrimination, foster equality and resolve complaints. The … [Read more...]
Same-Sex Families in some Canadian Provinces still Face Discrimination Challenges
Across Canada we have seen many developments in GLBT rights in the past few years. With the legal recognition of same-sex marriage, we might have thought that true equality for same-sex families had been reached. However, some of our provincial family laws have not kept up to these legal changes. In … [Read more...]
Organizations Get Religion: Loyola High School v. Quebec
Introduction Do organizations and corporations have a constitutionally protected freedom of religion under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?The Charter has existed for 34 years and we are still not clear whether non-human entities enjoy religious freedom as they do other freedoms, … [Read more...]
Why Do Some Human Rights Complaints Take So Long?
From time to time, concerns are expressed about the length of time human rights complaints take to resolve. There are some circumstances where resolution of these cases does seem to take too long. Unfortunately, those who criticize the existence of human rights commissions often take these … [Read more...]
