111, 4635199Street. Edmonton, AB.

T6M0V1 May24,2023 TheHonourableSenatorSalmaAtaullahjan,ChairStandingSenateCommitteeonHumanRightsTheSenateofCanadaOttawa,OntarioCanada,K1A0A4 DearHonourableSenatorSalmaAtaullahjan, BetweenJune2021andOctober2022,theJohnHumphreyCentreforPeaceandHumanRights(JHC)conductedaresearchprojecttoassesswhetherandhowthehumanrightsmechanismsavailableatthefederallevelinCanadameetstheneedsofthemostvulnerableCanadians.Theresearchexaminedcomplainants’experiencewiththeCanadianHumanRightsCommission(“theCommission”)andCanadianHumanRightsTribunal(“theTribunal”).WewouldbehonouredtosharewiththeStandingSenateCommitteeonHumanRightstheresultsofourresearchincludingtheattachedreporttitled“ResponsibilitiesoftheCanadianHumanRightsCommission:IdentifyingGapsandBuildingSolutions''containingourfindingsanddevelopedrecommendationstoaddressthebarriersidentifiedwithinthehumanrightsmechanismtostrengthentheCommissionandTribunal.

Thegoaloftheresearchwastocenterontheanalysisofthemechanismsfromthemostmarginalizedusers'perspectivetoproviderecommendationsthatcouldbeeffectivelyincorporatedtoimproveaccesstojusticeandaccessibility. Thedatacollectiontoolsandtheframeworkofanalysisofthiseffortaimedtoconcretelyidentify:1. thebarrierstoaccessjusticeforthosewhoengagewiththehumanrightscomplaintmechanismsinCanada;and,2. keyactionsneededtoreduceordismantlethosebarriersandincreaseaccesstojusticeattheCommissionandtheTribunal.

Theresearchidentifiedkeybarriersthatcomplainantsfacewhilemovingthroughthefederalhumanrightsmechanismandthatobstructcomplainants'accesstotheofferedremediationprocesses.Someoftheseinclude:● disability-basedcomplainantsbeingforcedtofilecomplaintsattheCanadaTransportationAgencyinsteadoftheCommissioncreatingadisparityincomplaintresolutionmechanismsandpromotingableism; 1 111, 4635199Street. Edmonton, AB.

T6M0V1 ● uniquechallengesfacingincarceratedcomplainantstoaccessremedy, includinglackofaccesstotheCommissionandretaliationwithininstitutions;and,● lackofenforcementmechanismofdecisionsreachedatconciliation,mediation,andpossiblytheTribunalHearingstage.

Someofthekeyrecommendationsfromtheresearchinclude:● strengthentransparencythroughpublishingdisaggregateddataonaquarterlybasis.Thispublicationshouldincludecomplaintsbothrejectedandacceptedattheintakephaseforfurtheranalysis;● createaninternalprocessadaptedfordisability-baseddiscriminationcomplaintswithintheCommissionsotheydonothavetoexperienceaseparatecomplaintsystemundertheCanadianTransportationAgency;● createaninternalprocessspecifictocomplaintsfromincarceratedcomplainantsthataddressthemultiplebarrierstheyfaceandthatarepresentedinthisreport,includinganinvestigativeorinquiryservice;follow-upmechanisms;alternativedisputeresolutionintheplaceofmediation;physicalaccommodationsforin-personhearingsforincarceratedcomplainants;and,theintegrationofrestorativejusticepractices; TheresearchconfirmsthevitalimportanceandrolethattheCommissionandTribunalperformsinupholdinghumanrights.TheCommissionmustbeaccessibletothemostvulnerableandprovidefairandequitableremedytoaddressdiscrimination.Inordertoachievethis,theCommissionshouldmodelandsupportthemodernizationofthehumanrightslegislationgoverningtheCommission,aswellasimplementadministrativechangestoimprovethecomplaintsprocessforusers.

Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorwouldliketodiscusstheresearchreportfurther, pleasedonothesitatetoreplyandwewouldbehappytohaveaconversationwithyou. Thankyouforyourtimeandconsideration. Bestregards, RenéeVaugeoisExecutiveDirectorJohnHumphreyCentreforPeaceandHumanRights 2