Canadian Human Rights History

Definitions

• Human rights are fundamental rights by virtue of being human.
• The Magna Carta is a document signed in 1215 by King John of England, establishing rights for English citizens and limiting the king's power.
• The Royal Proclamation established the borders of the new Province of Quebec and set rules for relations with First Nations people in 1763.
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights, created in 1948.
• The Charter of Rights and Freedoms was added to the Canadian constitution in 1982, establishing rights and freedoms for Canadians.
• The Ontario Human Rights Code aims to prevent discrimination and harassment based on 17 grounds, including race, sex, disability, and age; it was created in 1962.
• The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) was established in 1961, with a province-wide mandate based on 17 prohibited grounds of discrimination.
• A refugee is someone who has been forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.
• Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social rights and opportunities.
• Racial profiling is the selective enforcement or prosecution based on race or ethnicity.
• The OHRC defines racial profiling as actions relying on stereotypes about race, colour, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, or origin, rather than reasonable suspicion for safety, security, or public protection.
• Opposition to racial profiling is rooted in conflict theory, where dominant groups use law to minimize threats from those they label as dangerous.
• Discrimination is disrespect based solely on primary diversity characteristics.
• Prejudice is pre-determined negative opinions based on others' characteristics.
• Racism is pre-disposed disrespect based on race.
• Culture is the collection of shared beliefs, values, and behaviors that define a group of people.
• Stereotype involves pre-determined opinions based on a certain demographic.
• Ethnicity refers to the social and cultural characteristics, backgrounds, or experiences shared by a group of people.
• A minority is a group of people who are a different race from the majority of the population and are often treated unequally.

Diversity Wheel

• Primary diversity includes characteristics people are born with and cannot change.
• Secondary dimensions of diversity are aspects that people may or may not have some control over or are not readily visible.

Refugee Requirements (Canada)

• You must demonstrate fear of persecution to be considered a refugee in Canada.
• Eligibility is possible if you are a member of a minority group or at risk of torture or violence.

Multiculturalism Ideology

• It recognizes and supports people from other countries/cultures in preserving or encouraging their diversity, as long as practices align with the laws of the nation.
• Immigrants/refugees are expected to adopt the public values of the nation.
• The State provides protection of the immigrant/refugees’ private values
• The State is forbidden to interfere with the private values of immigrant/refugees.
• The State should fund ethno cultural activities of citizens and immigrant/refugees.

Political Ideologies

• Civic ideology embraces principles of multiculturalism but does not promote or maintain ethnocultural diversity through state funding as in Great Britain.
• Assimilation ideology expects immigrants/refugees to abandon their cultural/linguistic identity and adopt the culture/language of the host state, for example, the United States.
• Ethnist ideology expects immigrants/refugees to assimilate, but the state defines which groups should assimilate.

Canadian Multiculturalism

• Canada's federal multiculturalism policy was adopted in 1971 by Pierre Trudeau’s Liberal government.

Views of Canadian Multiculturalism

• Canadian multiculturalism can be viewed as a sociological fact, an ideology and political policy
• Sociological fact references diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds
• Ideology references ideas and ideals that celebrate Canada's cultural diversity
• Political viewpoint manages diversity through government policies, initiatives and legislation

Advocates

• Nellie McClung staged a mock parliament to advocate for women's rights to vote.
• Manitoba was the first province where women gained the right to vote.
• Agnes Macphail was the first woman to be a Member of Parliament (MP).
• Macphail visited a prison settlement and fought for prison reform.
• Viola Desmond was jailed for wanting to see a first floor movie, and she appealed her charge, and was part of Canada's civil rights movement.

Mental Health and Disability

• People with mental disability or addiction face discrimination, social exclusion, and stigma.
• Psychosocial disability refers to the social consequences of disability and mental illness impacting a person’s participation in life and society.

OHRC Protection

• The five social areas protected under the OHRC are accommodation (housing), contracts, employment, goods, services and facilities, and membership in unions, trade or professional associations.

Poverty

• Poverty is the best predictor of early illness, early and longer hospital stays, and earlier death.
• Poverty predicts substance abuse, food insecurity, poor education outcomes, and trouble with the law.
• Poverty leads to disaffiliation and personal vulnerability.
• Poverty negatively impacts communities, families, judicial systems, and hospitals.
• The "Cost of Poverty" report indicates that poverty hits Ontarians with disabilities, new immigrants, single parents and First Nations the hardest.
• A basic income is a payment to eligible families or individuals that ensures a minimum income level regardless of employment status.
• A pilot program will test whether a basic income can better support vulnerable workers and improve health and education outcomes.
• Individuals are randomly selected to be part of the basic income pilot program.
• Up to 4,000 participants will receive basic income payments.

Domestic Violence/Violence Against Women

• Why was the house of commons standing committee on the statuses of women decided to condcut a study, is because gender based violence can ruined lives
• Effects of victimization on young women and girls include immediate and long-term mental health effects and reduced economic prosperity.
• The 45 recommendations aim to end violence against Canadian women and girls.
• Recommendation 1 involves a federal strategy to aid against gender-based violence.
• Recommendation 8 ensures all jurisdictions are held responsible for violence against women.
• Studies show happiness increases with age

Ageism

• Gen X and Gen Y are more likely to think about elderly people as sad, old, and sick.
• The Ontario Human Rights Code protects people from age discrimination in employment, housing, services and other social areas.
• Everyone over 18 has the same rights to employment.
• Public servants must meet elderly requirements.
• The Ontario Human Rights Code defines "age" as 18 years or older, except in employment, where it is defined as 18 years or older and less than 65 years.
• Mandatory retirement is illegal; The Ontario Human Rights code protects employees from age discrimination.

Ageism Responsibility

• It is illegal for employers to be ageist and refuse to hire, train or promote people based on their age
• Ageist employers musn't target workers unfairly
• Also ensure the workplace is free from discrimination for all workers
• Landlords musn't evict older tenants to younger tenants based on assumptions
• Landlords may be responsible for changes so elder tenants can have inclusive housing.

Brief definitions of key Canadian and international human rights milestones and concepts. Includes the Magna Carta, Royal Proclamation, UDHR, and Ontario Human Rights Code. Discusses refugees and the OHRC.