Public Hearings
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal holds public hearings
to inquire into complaints of discrimination which have
been referred to it by the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Up to 15 Tribunal members -
a full-time Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson and 13 full-
or part-time members from across Canada - are assigned to
hear and adjudicate all cases that come before the Tribunal.
The Chairperson assigns either one or three members to hear
each case. Based on the evidence presented and the law,
a decision is made as to whether discrimination has occurred.
If it has, the member or panel of members hearing the case
decide on the appropriate remedy and how to prevent similar
cases of discrimination in the future.
Although the CHRT must wait for the CHRC to refer cases,
the Commission often resolves cases without referring them
to the Tribunal. The cases that make it as far as the Tribunal
generally involve complicated legal issues, new human rights
issues, unexplored areas of discrimination or complex complaints
with evidence that must be submitted under oath. The level
of complexity of most cases demands that Tribunal members
spend long hours analyzing complex legal issues and points
of law before ruling on cases.
Tribunal Registry
The Tribunal Registry
offers administrative support to the Tribunal and provides
liaison between the parties in a case and the member or
panel of members hearing a case. When the Commission refers
a case to the Tribunal, a Registry Officer is assigned to
look after the administrative details of the case.
Organization Chart
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