Letters

When human rights issues are reported in the media, we see opportunities to comment and offer human rights insights to large audiences. Here are some highlights of our letters to theeditor in 2013-14:

Trans myths based on intolerance, Toronto Star, Jan. 4

  • to dispel stereotypes and misconceptions about gender identity and gender expression.

Student housing can benefit a neighbourhood, Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 19

  • supporting an editorial on not applying different rules for students, and basing planning decisions on buildings, not people.

We also wrote many letters to municipal andprovincial governments, to add a human rights voice to discussions of issues that affect all Ontarians. Highlights include:

Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction, October 2013

  • recommending that in the next Poverty Reduction Strategy, where possible, the government break down the eight indictors to show the impact of the Strategy on immigrants, women, single mothers, people with disabilities, Aboriginal Peoples and racialized groups who disproportionally experience poverty.

City of Oshawa, February 2014

  • on the right to breastfeed anywhere, and the legal requirement to accommodate breastfeeding in in facilities, employment, housing and services to the point of undue hardship.

City of Toronto, February 2014

  • in November 2013, we provided input to the City of Toronto’s consultation on Internet voting and accessible elections for voters with disabilities. We then wrote to Toronto City Council in February 2014 to support its consideration of implementing Internet and telephone voting for the 2014 municipal election.