Overview

Strategic Initiatives

Recent Reports and Projects

1.  Repeal of Section 67 of the CHRA – Section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act restricts the ability of First Nations people living on reserve to file a complaint against band councils or the federal government.  The Commission has long sought repeal of this section. The project looked at the human rights reasons for repealing section 67 and what steps need to be taken post-repeal to ensure that First Nations people have access to an effective system for the resolution of human rights.

Report (October 2005)

• Report: A Matter of Rights
• Press Release
• Message from the Chief Commissioner
• Secretary General's Column

Repeal of section 67 announcement (December 2006)

• Message from Commissioner Langtry 
• CHRC news release
• Indian and Northern Affairs news release and background information

2.  Telephone Access for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired – Making a phone call to get information from a government department or a federally regulated organization is often difficult for Canadians who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing, or who have a speech impediment.

NO ANSWER - A Review of Government of Canada Telephonic Communication with People Who Are Deaf, Deafened, Hard of Hearing, or Have a Speech Impediment.

• Report: No Answer
• Questions and Answers
• Secretary General's Message 
• Memorandum of understanding with Treasury Board Secretariat (Official Version (PDF))
  • Progress report from Treasury Board Secretariat

NO ANSWER II - A Review of Federally Regulated Organizations’ Telephonic Communications with People who are Deaf, Deafened or Hard of Hearing.

• Report: No Answer II
• Questions and Answers
• Message from Commissioner Langtry

3.  Hate on the Internet – The Commission has been receiving an increasing number of complaints under section 13 of the Act, which prohibits transmitting hate messages through the Internet.  The Commission's long-term strategy to deal with this issue will include making the best use possible of the Commission’s own legal powers and working with other groups to encourage a better understanding of the dangers of hate on the Internet.

• Questions and Answers
• Legal Milestones
• Jurisprudence 
• A Serious Threat - A Conference on Hate on the Internet
  • Opening Speech by Mary Gusella, Chief Commissioner
  • Conference proceedings
• Third International Symposium on Hate on the Internet
  • Opening Remarks by Commissioner David Langtry

4. NO ALTERNATIVE - A Review of the Government of Canada’s Provision of Alternative Text Formats for People Who Are Blind, Deaf-Blind or Visually Impaired (January 2007)

• Report: No Alternative
• Questions and Answers
• Message from Commissioner Langtry