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29/02/2000

Government of Northwest Territories Complaint Back to Tribunal

Ottawa - February 29, 2000 - A human rights tribunal will reconvene in March in Ottawa and in Iqaluit, Nunavut to continue hearing a 10-year old pay equity complaint against the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The Union of Northern Workers, a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, filed a complaint against the GNWT alleging that it discriminated against its employees in female job categories by paying them less than employees in male-dominated jobs for work of equal value. Although this complaint was filed in 1989, the commencement of the tribunal hearings was delayed as a result of court actions filed by the GNWT between 1993 and 1997. The tribunal will convene in Ottawa from March 6 to 10 at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, 473 Albert Street, 4th Floor, and from March 28 to April 1 at the Navigator Inn, in Iqaluit.

In March, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal will also hold hearings into five other cases:

• In Moncton, New Brunswick, a tribunal will hear the complaint filed by Roderick Leger of Moncton who said Canadian National Railways discriminated against him because of his disability. Mr. Leger alleged that his employer had discriminated against him by harassing him, by failing to accommodate his mental disability, and by terminating his employment. The hearing will commence in Moncton from March 20 to 24 in the Executive Room of the Brunswick Hotel, 1005 Main Street.
• In Vancouver, a tribunal will continue the hearings in the sex discrimination complaint filed by Tracy Anderson of New Westminster against her employer, Midcoast Air. Ms. Anderson alleges that her employer discriminated against her by failing to provide her with a harassment-free work environment. She also says her employment was terminated because she refused to enter into a sexual relationship with her manager. The hearing will reconvene in Vancouver from March 6 to 10 and 13 to 17 at the Federal Court of Canada, 701 West Georgia Street, 7th Floor.
• In Ottawa, a tribunal will hold hearings into pay equity complaints filed against Bell Canada by the Canadian Telephone Employees' Association (CTEA), the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), and a Montreal-based employees group, Femmes-Action. These organizations represent more than 20,000 employees throughout Bell Canada's workforce. The complaints alleged that employees in mostly female jobs are underpaid in comparison with employees in predominantly male jobs performing work of equal value. The hearing will reconvene from March 8 to 9 and March 20 to 24 at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, 473 Albert Street, 5th Floor.
• In Ottawa, a tribunal will reconvene to hear the discrimination complaint filed by Emilie Marinaki, alleging that her employer, Human Resources Development Canada, failed to provide her with a harassment-free work environment. She said she was subjected to sexual and racial comments by her supervisor and her director. After being away on sick leave for several weeks, she was required to return to her former work site, and, as a result, suffered a stress attack and had to leave work. The hearing will reconvene from March 6 to 9 at the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, 333 Laurier Avenue West, 18th Floor.
• Also in Ottawa, a tribunal will continue hearing the racial discrimination complaint of public servant Shiv Chopra. In 1992, Dr. Chopra filed a complaint with the CHRC, alleging that Health Canada discriminated against him on the ground of race when he was denied promotion to a director-level position. The complaint was subsequently dismissed by a human rights tribunal, but in April 1998 the Federal Court Trial Division found that the tribunal erred when it refused to admit statistical evidence that visible minorities were under-represented in management positions within Health Canada. The Court ordered that the complaint be sent back to the tribunal. The hearing will reconvene from March 1 to 3 at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, 473 Albert Street, 5th Floor.

Hearings start at 9:30 a.m. local time.

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal is an independent body responsible for adjudicating complaints referred to it by the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

The Commission refers a complaint to the Tribunal when it believes further inquiry into a complaint is warranted.

For more information:

Jocelyne Limoges
Media and External Relations
(613) 943-9119