Today, on International Human Rights Day, we must reflect on the global pandemic that has impacted our everyday lives and the human rights of people in Canada.
Today we celebrate the start of Black History Month. It is a month to honour the legacy of Black Canadians and celebrate their contributions to building the Canada we share today.
Speaking Notes of Marie-Claude Landry, Ad. E., Chief Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission
The events of the past year have shone a powerful light on the need for all Canadians to reflect on how white privilege, deeply embedded systemic racism, and unchecked racial biases continue to exist in Canada, and contribute to injustice and inequality.
The death of Joyce Echaquan, an Atikamekw woman who live streamed the racist slurs, neglect and abuse she suffered while in the care of staff at the Joliette hospital, is a tragic example of the racism and intolerance Indigenous peoples continue to face in Canada.
Today marks the first time that countries around the world are recognizing International Equal Pay Day.
With Canada now months into the COVID-19 pandemic, people with disabilities, their families and caregivers are still bearing a disproportionate impact of this unprecedented crisis. More must be done to protect the rights of people with disabilities and to ensure that safety protocols designed to protect public health are not putting people with disabilities at risk.
“Today is a victory for the human rights and privacy of all Canadians. The Canadian Human Rights Commission applauds today’s Supreme Court of Canada decision affirming the constitutionality of the 2017 Genetic Non-Discrimination Act. This means that discrimination against a person because of their genetic makeup remains illegal across the country, and that people in Canada do not have to live in fear of how their genetic information could one day be used against them.
Stigma surrounding mental health problems is a major barrier preventing people from seeking help in the workplace. With more than 500,000 Canadians missing work each week because of mental illness and with approximately $51 billion each year lost to the Canadian economy because of mental illness, employers and employees are seeing the need for holistic workplaces that put emphasis on mental health, as well as physical health.