Race and related grounds
Under the Code, every person has the right to be free from racial discrimination and harassment in the social areas of employment, services, goods, facilities, housing accommodation, contracts and membership in trade and vocational associations. You should not be treated differently because of your race or other related grounds, such as your ancestry, ethnicity, religion or place of origin.
Canada, its provinces and territories have strong human rights laws and systems in place to address discrimination. At the same time, we also have a legacy of racism – particularly towards Indigenous persons, but to other groups as well including African, Chinese, Japanese, South Asian, Jewish and Muslim Canadians – a legacy that profoundly permeates our systems and structures to this day, affecting the lives of not only racialized persons, but also all people in Canada.
Relevant policies:
-
2001 - This paper is one of several initiatives by the Ontario Human Rights Commission to explore ways in which human rights commissions can become more involved in protecting and promoting economic and social rights and in implementing international treaties to which Canada is a party. The challenge for human rights commissions is to find ways to maximize the potential of their mandates to promote international standards, including those contained in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
-
CMARD Booklet: Call for coalition of municipalities against racism and racial discrimination
2006 - The Canadian Commission for UNESCO is inviting municipalities from across Canada to join a Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination and be part of a larger international coalition being promoted by UNESCO. This booklet provides information that will be useful in understanding some of the important details of this Coalition.
-
Anti-racism and anti-discrimination for municipalities: Introductory manual
May 2010 - This document is a ”how-to” guide. It gives municipalities directions on how they can start or improve anti-racism and anti-discrimination initiatives. This manual focuses on small and medium-size municipalities but any municipality, large or small, should find it useful. -
Re: Shock and sadness over 'No Natives' sign
March 17, 2011 - Through Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Canadians are learning a lot about the intergenerational harm Aboriginal peoples and communities experienced because of racism and bigotry. One of the hopes is that we can collectively apply what we have learned so we do not repeat history. -
Re: Coach who protested racial slur suspended until April (16/12/10)
December 17, 2010 - Racial slurs and other name-calling because of one’s personal characteristics such as disability, sex or sexual orientation is wrong. The Ontario Human Rights Code makes that clear. It’s also clear that sports organizations and their governing bodies in Ontario must follow provincial human rights legislation. They should be prohibiting and not sanctioning such conduct. -
Letter to the Globe and Mail Re: Black belt teen strikes back at bully, and rallies community against racism
May 1, 2009 - I have watched with great interest – and hope – the events unfolding at Keswick High School in the past week. It was so refreshing to see 400 students rising together to tell their peers, their school, and their community, that racism and bullying are not welcome. -
Race Policy Dialogue Papers
December 2004 - These papers were submitted to the OHRC as part of the consultation process for our Policy and guidelines on racism and racial discrimination.
-
Removing the “Canadian experience” barrier – A guide for employers and regulatory bodies
July 2013 - When an employer requires people applying for jobs to have “Canadian experience,” or where a regulatory body requires “Canadian experience” before someone can get accredited, they may create barriers for newcomers to Canada. Requiring “Canadian experience” could violate the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code), which protects people from discrimination based on grounds such as race, ancestry, colour, place of origin and ethnic origin.
-
Job specification and expectations for Toronto’s next Chief of Police
November 3, 2014 - Dear Dr. Mukherjee, Thank you for this opportunity to contribute to the important discussion regarding the job specification and expectations for Toronto’s next Chief of Police.
-
Letter to Members of the Training Advisory Roundtable re: street checks
May 30. 2016 - In support of your important responsibility to provide input to the Ontario Police College on the development of this training, we would like to highlight our view that training specific to racial profiling must be provided for it to be successful and for there to be meaningful change.