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1. Continuing the connection with Toronto Police

   From: Annual report 2008-2009

   The Commission continues to work with the Toronto Police Service (TPS) and the Toronto Police Services Board (TPSB), to identify human rights issues and develop appropriate initiatives to prevent and eliminate racism and other forms of discrimination. This three-year project, now in its second year, affects both police employment policies and the way police services are delivered to the public.

   Activity highlights to date include:

2. Resolving conflict and tension: follow-up on the Asian Canadian Angler Inquiry

   From: Annual report 2008-2009

   In April 2009, the OHRC released its final report on the Inquiry into Assaults on Asian Canadian Anglers, entitled Fishing without Fear: Follow-up report on the Inquiry into Assaults on Asian Canadian Anglers. This report highlighted the progress 22 organizations have made in response to reports of harassment and assaults against Asian Canadian anglers.

3. Sharing what we learn: CASHRA 2008 conference

   From: Annual report 2008-2009

   The OHRC was pleased to host the 2008 conference of the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA) at Niagara College. Under this year’s theme, Collective Strength: Commission to Communities and Back, over 200 people (including representatives from human rights commissions across Canada and community representatives) shared experiences and expertise on a number of key human rights issues ranging from national security and profiling, working with policing services and other public institutions for systemic change, to the accommodation debate.

4. I. Introduction

   From: Policy on human rights and rental housing

   The international community has long recognized that housing is a fundamental and universal human right that must be protected in law.

5. III. The Ontario Human Rights Code

   From: Policy on human rights and rental housing

   1. Status and purpose of the Code

6. IV. Social and economic status

   From: Policy on human rights and rental housing

   Groups that have experienced historical disadvantage and who are identified by Code grounds are more likely to experience low social and economic status.^[75]

7. V. Identifying discrimination in rental housing

   From: Policy on human rights and rental housing

   1. Defining discrimination

   The Code provides that every person has the right to be treated equally in the area of housing without discrimination because of any of the grounds set out in the Code. The purpose of anti-discrimination laws is to prevent the violation of human dignity and freedom through the imposition of disadvantage, stereotyping, or political or social prejudice.

8. VI. The duty to accommodate

   From: Policy on human rights and rental housing

   Under the Code, housing providers have a duty to accommodate the Code-related needs of tenants, to make sure that the housing they supply is designed to include people identified by Code grounds, and to take steps to remove any barriers that may exist, unless to do so would cause undue hardship.

9. Blending policing and human rights – the Toronto Police Charter Project

   From: Annual report 2009-2010 Educate Empower Act

   The balance between human rights and public security is sometimes difficult to achieve. For many years the OHRC had an adversarial relationship with various police services in the province, dealing with complaints on a case-by-case basis. We found that we were not getting to systemic solutions, especially around racial profiling and other concerns about bias.

10. Saying no to racial profiling

    From: Annual report 2009-2010 Educate Empower Act

    The OHRC’s work on racism and racial profiling has been a driving force in its partnership with the Toronto Police Services Board on the Toronto Police Charter Project.

    The OHRC also intervened at the Tribunal in a complaint by Ron Phipps – a case which raised some tough issues. The Tribunal ruled Phipps had been subjected to racial profiling in 2005 by a Toronto police officer. The officer stopped Phipps when he was delivering mail in an affluent Toronto neighbourhood, checked with a homeowner Phipps spoke to, trailed him and checked his identity with a White letter carrier.

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