Reports

Backgrounder

Highlights of the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s 2005 Annual Report

Dispute Resolution

• The average age of cases has been reduced by 62%, from 25 months in 2002 to 9.5 months at the end of February 2006.

• Active cases aged two years and older were reduced by 86% by the end of February 2006, and now represent 7% of the active caseload compared to 27% in 2002.

• Cases in the inventory have been reduced by 44%, from 1,287 in 2002 to 720 cases at the end of February 2006.

• In the private sector, persons with disabilities continue to benefit the least from employment equity measures. Conversely, visible minorities are fully represented overall and received hires in line with their availability. Their representation is highest in the banking sector where they now hold 21.8% of jobs, including 7.4% in senior management, 15.4% in middle management and 24.9% in professional occupations.

• In the public service, there are encouraging signs of progress for all designated groups except visible minorities who remain under-utilized. They hold only 8.1% of all jobs and new hires continue to be lower than their availability of 10.4%. The government has not met the goals it set in endorsing the action plan from the report of the Task Force on the Participation of Visible Minorities in the Federal Public Service released in 2000.

• A Matter of Rights, a special report released in October 2005, examined the human rights impact of section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act which currently restricts the ability of some First Nations people living on reserves to file a complaint under the Act. The report recommended that this section be repealed and outlines the steps which would have to be taken to ensure that First Nations people have access to an effective system for the resolution of human rights issues.

• A report entitled No Answer, released in July 2005, details the government’s failure to adequately accommodate the needs of Canadians who cannot use the regular telephone system as a result of being Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing, and outlines a number of specific recommendations to rectify the situation.

• A conference on Hate on the Internet was hosted in December 2005, to develop a closer partnership and common understanding with community leaders concerned with the issue, and open the door to new networks of civil and governmental stakeholders who share our goals.

• A major restructuring of the Commission has been completed, and equips the Commission with the wide range of tools required to fully execute its mandate under the Canadian Human Rights Act. Its new features include the following:

• A Dispute Resolution Branch which integrates all services related to the processing of a complaint, including pre-complaint services, mediation before and after a complaint is filed, conciliation, investigation, litigation and liaison with the Tribunal;

• A Discrimination Prevention Branch which amalgamates the Employment Equity Compliance Program with a Prevention Initiatives and Liaison Division, Communications and Regional Offices. This will enable the Commission to focus on developing a more positive, productive relationship with employers while providing strategic advice and support;

• A Knowledge Centre which emphasizes policy development, research, legal advice, statistical analysis and knowledge to enhance the level of understanding of human rights within Canadian society;

• A Strategic Initiatives Branch which responds to emerging issues and combats broader problems of a systemic nature.