Removing the "Canadian experience" barrier
Removing the "Canadian experience" barrier in employment and rights and responsibilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Letter to Chief Paul Cook, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) President
Chief Paul Cook
President, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police
Dear Chief Cook,
On behalf of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), I would like to congratulate the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) for its updated version of the LEARN Guideline for Police Record Checks with a clearer presumption against disclosure of non-conviction records.
Human Rights and Rental Housing
Rights and responsibilities in rental housing under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Letter to Frank Fabiano, Chief Administrative Officer of the City of Thorold re: Black Hawk warrior image
Frank Fabiano
Chief Administrative Officer, City of Thorold
Dear Mr. Fabiano,
I am writing in response to your request for advice regarding the issue raised by people of Aboriginal heritage in your community who find objectionable the current Black Hawk warrior image used by local hockey teams and their associations in Thorold, Ontario.
2. What is "discrimination"?
From: Human Rights at Work 2008 - Third Edition
a) Defining discrimination
Discrimination is not defined in the Code but usually includes the following elements:
Part 2 - The policy framework
From: Policy and guidelines on racism and racial discrimination
3. Types of racial discrimination
It is not possible to slot people’s experiences of racial discrimination into clear categories. Manifestations of discrimination blur together and overlap to a large degree. However, for the purposes of this policy, it is necessary to describe the different ways in which racial discrimination can take place. Therefore, what follows is a discussion of the main ways in which racial discrimination can occur that are helpful in understanding and addressing the experience of racial discrimination.
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.
V. Discrimination Based on Family Status
From: Policy and guidelines on discrimination because of family status
1. Defining Discrimination
Sexual harassment in housing (fact sheet)
The Ontario Human Rights Code says everyone has the right to be free from sexual harassment by their landlord, someone working for their landlord, or someone who lives in the same building. Because landlords are in a position of authority, and have access to apartments and often hold personal information, tenants can feel very threatened when they are sexually harassed. This may be especially true for low-income, racialized, gay and lesbian people, people with disabilities and other people identified by the Code who are sometimes targeted for sexual harassment.
Discrimination and rental housing
Most landlords and housing providers try to comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code and work hard to meet the needs of their tenants. However, for some tenants, discrimination in housing is not an unusual occurrence. The lack of affordable and adequate housing, when combined with overt and subtle discrimination in housing, means that many people protected by the Code are excluded from the housing market, forced to pay higher rents than they can actually afford, or relegated to poor quality housing options.
