Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

About Proactive Initiatives

• What is a Proactive Initiative?
• What are the initiatives the Commission has undertaken?
• Will proactive initiatives tackle other issues?

What is a Proactive Initiative?

Proactive initiatives contribute to the reduction of discrimination by targeting and addressing significant human rights issues that cannot be fully addressed otherwise.

Proactive initiatives allow the Commission to look into and propose action on systemic issues that affect a group of people or the overall human rights system. The objective is to try to resolve human rights issues primarily through research, study and dialogue, in partnership with the various groups that have a stake in the Commission’s activities.

In some cases, the Commission may undertake a special study or inquiry on a particular matter. In others, it may carry out a round of public consultations.

In effect, the Commission is building on past forays in this area, such as Protecting Their Rights, a special report to Parliament in 2004 on the human rights situation of women in federal prisons. Now, the Commission plans to make this proactive effort a regular part of its work.

What are the initiatives the Commission has undertaken?

Several proactive initiatives were tackled in 2005:

• A Matter of Rights - Special Report on the Repeal of Section 67
  of the Canadian Human Rights Act
• NO ANSWER - A Review of Government of Canada Telephonic Communication with People Who Are Deaf, Deafened, Hard of Hearing, or Have a Speech Impediment
• A Serious Threat - A Conference on Hate on the Internet

Will the Proactive Initiatives Team tackle other issues?

Yes, the Team will continue to look forward and identify trends that require further attention from a human rights perspective.