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Factum of the intervener Ontario Human Rights Commission.

Toronto – A settlement has been reached in the longest-running human rights case in Canadian history. The case of Michael McKinnon v. the Ontario Ministry of Correctional Services concerned discrimination on the basis of Aboriginal ancestry and has become the leading Canadian case on human rights remedies in race discrimination. The original complaint by Mr. McKinnon, a correctional officer working in the Ministry, was filed in 1988 and has now been settled after 23 years.

August 2011 - The Human Rights Project aims to provide time limited support to MCSCS in its ongoing initiatives aimed at identifying and eliminating any possible discrimination in the employment of MCSCS employees and in the delivery of services by MCSCS. This Project Charter details the agreed upon relationship to be established between the three parties to fulfill these aims.

On July 25, 2011, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) released the LEARN Guideline for Police Record Checks. This new guideline shows police services how to conduct police record checks for people seeking either work or volunteer opportunities. The OHRC worked with the OACP to provide a human rights perspective, and to outline protections under the Code for persons with disabilities, with a focus on people with mental health issues.

Toronto - Chief Commissioner Barbara Hall today released the Ontario Human Rights Commission's 2010-2011 Annual Report.

Dear Mr. Speaker: Under Section 31.6 (2) of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Ontario Human Rights Commission is required to submit a report on the Commission’s activities for the previous fiscal period by June 30th of each year, to be tabled in the Legislature. In this regard, I am pleased to provide you with the Commission’s Annual Report of its activities from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011. Yours sincerely, Barbara Hall, B.A, LL.B, Ph.D (hon.) Chief Commissioner

June 28, 2011 - Over the past two years, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has monitored and reviewed rental housing licensing bylaws in various municipalities. Rental housing licensing is a relatively new option for municipalities, and our goal has been to make sure that these bylaws, even unintentionally, do not create barriers and discrimination in housing for vulnerable people who are protected under the grounds of the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code).

This guide aims to encourage and support police services across Ontario in their work as it relates to upholding the Ontario Human Rights Code. The development of this guide is built on the experience gained in a three-year collaborative human rights organizational change project between the Ontario Human Rights Commission (the OHRC), the Toronto Police Service (TPS) and the Toronto Police Services Board (TPSB). The principled human rights approach elaborated in the guide can help police services better serve the needs of Ontario’s increasingly diverse communities, and draw on the strengths of police services’ own internal diversity.

Toronto – As part of its ongoing work with police across the province, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) today releases a new guide. Human rights and policing: creating and sustaining organizational change aims to encourage and support police services across Ontario in building human rights into all their work.

Finding the right consultant to help you develop human rights policies, get training or investigate or resolve disputes is a good investment. A good consultant can help you build a diverse and inclusive workplace, avoid legal expenses and reach diverse markets with your products or services. This fact sheet can help you use search tools on the Internet to find and choose the right consultant for your immediate need. There is no one “best” way to conduct on-line searching. The points offered here are just suggestions.

June 21, 2011 - Please find attached a copy of a briefing note prepared by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) in the form requested by Ontario’s Ministry of Labour submitted to the Ministry for its input into Canada’s report on Convention 111 concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation as it pertains to the mandate of the OHRC.

Toronto – As part of its ongoing work with community partners in the area of human rights and housing, the Commission announced today that it has written to media and housing websites to ask them for help in addressing discriminatory housing advertisements. Barbara Hall, Chief Commissioner, commented that, “Over the years, we have heard many stories of discrimination in rental housing. That some people are still facing discrimination right at the very start of their search for housing is unacceptable.”

Landlords and tenants want to comply with housing-related laws, but they don’t always know all the rules. Both landlord and tenant groups want to increase awareness about human rights in housing and to end discrimination. The Ontario Human Rights Commission created this guide to help landlords who are advertising their rental units and organizations that provide housing listings to prevent human rights violations and avoid complaints.

June 1, 2011 - Discrimination in housing is a very real problem for many people. In Ontario, landlord, tenant and human rights organizations are working to raise awareness about discrimination in all aspects of housing. One such area is advertising for rental accommodation, where we commonly see discriminatory statements. This is an area where you can help.

June 1, 2011 - At the Ontario Human Rights Commission, we have heard many stories of discrimination in rental housing. Some people face discrimination right at the beginning of their search – in rental housing advertisements. Tenants and advocates have brought a number of these ads to our attention. As a result, we are working with partners in housing and the media to increase awareness of human rights in housing, and find ways to prevent and address discriminatory ads.

April 11, 2011 - Over the past few months, staff of the City of Waterloo (the City) have worked extensively with staff of the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) to create a rental housing licensing by-law that meets the City’s operational needs while respecting and advancing the human rights of tenants.

April 5, 2011 - On behalf of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, I would like to congratulate you on bringing forward Bill 140. The Bill is receiving general support for taking positive steps on oversight, local planning and flexibility for delivery of affordable housing services, as well as for its requirements on municipal zoning laws permitting second unit apartments. However, concerns remain about very long waiting lists for limited availability of affordable housing in Ontario.

2011 - Sexual and gender-based harassment are kinds of discrimination. They can hurt a person’s dignity, make them feel unsafe and stop them from reaching their full potential. Sexually harassing or bullying someone because of their sex, gender or sexual orientation is not acceptable. It is against the law.

Toronto - The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has extended its deadline for written submissions to its consultation on human rights and mental health to April 30, 2011.

Toronto - North Bay-area residents will have their say at the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (OHRC) final round table session on human rights and mental health issues on Monday, March 28, 2011. The OHRC, in cooperation with the North Bay Indian Friendship Centre, People for Equal Partnerships in Mental Health (PEP) and True Self, will meet with consumer/survivors, members of the mental health community, people with addictions, employers and housing and service providers. They will hear personal stories of discrimination and identify solutions and best practices to deal with discrimination in the areas of housing, services and employment.

Toronto – Today, human rights commissions and agencies across Canada are celebrating the United Nations (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

March 2011 - The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) continues to have serious concerns with the Ontario Government’s most recent Proposed Integrated Accessibility Regulation released for public comment. The Government is also proposing related changes to Ontario Regulation 429/07, Customer Service, and to Ontario Regulation 629, Vehicles for the Transportation of Physically Disabled Passengers.

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.

March 10, 2011 - Thank you for your two recent presentations held January 28 and February 25, 2011 to the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), members of the Mental Health Police Record Checks Coalition (PRCC) and other organizations where you gave an overview of the OACP’s Draft Guideline for Police Record Checks.

In the Ontario Human Rights Code (the Code), sexual harassment is “engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct that is known or ought to be known to be unwelcome.” In some cases, one incident could be serious enough to be sexual harassment. Gender-based harassment is one type of sexual harassment.