New Parliament must confront racism in Canada

Written by Canadian Human Rights Commission

Published in News

October 22, 2019 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Human Rights Commission

Marie-Claude Landry, Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, congratulates Prime Minister Justin Trudeau along with all members of Canada's new Parliament, and issues the following statement:

“This election has left Canada fractured and many Canadians feeling marginalized and divided. There is an urgent need to reunite our country.

“I call on our newly elected Parliament to take concrete action to confront racism and intolerance, a daily reality for millions of people in Canada. No one should be made to feel like a second-class citizen because of the colour of their skin, what they believe or where they are from. Parliament must also continue to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and address the legacy of racist laws and policies that continue to impact their daily lives.

“Specifically, I am calling on Parliament to:

Oppose any law in Canada that violates the human rights of minorities;
Strengthen and implement Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy;
Develop a comprehensive approach to address the rise in hate crimes, shut down online hate and hold accountable those who spread it;
Denounce Islamophobia and Antisemitism as well as all forms of xenophobia aimed at demonizing immigrants and refugees;
Undertake bold reforms to address the staggering over-representation of Indigenous and black people in Canada’s criminal justice system, including reserving mandatory minimum sentences for the most serious crimes;
Implement the MMIWG’s calls to justice by taking meaningful steps to address systemic discrimination and violence against Indigenous women and girls, including those who are members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community; and
End the inequitable funding to Indigenous communities and ensure equal access to safe drinking water, adequate housing, education, healthcare, and child and family services.

“A country that stands for diversity, freedom and inclusion must not stand by and allow racism, intolerance and inequality to undermine our peace and prosperity. Whether you make these urgent human rights issues your priority — or you ignore them — they will be a part of your legacy.”

Marie-Claude Landry, Chief Commissioner

Canadian Human Rights Commission

The Canadian Human Rights Commission is akin to an Agent of Parliament. It operates independently from government. As Canada’s human rights watchdog, the Commission is responsible for representing the public interest and holding the Government of Canada to account on matters related to human rights.

The Canadian Human Rights Act gives the Commission the authority to research, raise awareness and speak out on any matter related to human rights in Canada.

The Commission is responsible for administering the law, which protects people in Canada from discrimination when based on any of the 11 grounds such as race, sex and disability.

The Commission receives discrimination complaints and works with both the complainant and respondent to resolve the issues through mediation. When a complaint cannot be settled, or when the Commission determines that further examination is warranted, it may refer the complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

The Commission also works with federally regulated employers to ensure compliance with the Employment Equity Act. This contributes to the elimination of employment barriers in various workplaces for women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities.