Stronger together
The Canadian Human Rights Commission's 2021 Annual Report to Parliament
Chief Commissioner's message
“Now more than ever, we must look to human rights to guide our values, to promote social harmony, and to protect our peace and prosperity.”
Emerging issues: A closer look
The human rights landscape is evolving fast. Rapid advances in technology and our changing climate are impacting human rights in ways that were not imaginable even ten years ago.
Some of these human rights issues have been accelerated by the pandemic; others have been quietly brewing beneath the surface.
In the following stories, three Canadian experts help shed light on three emerging issues that are defining this next era of human rights.
Enhancing equity and inclusion
Throughout 2021, the Commission continued its work to support federally regulated employers and service providers across Canada in taking proactive steps to eliminate barriers and help prevent discrimination. This work is dedicated to helping organizations meet their obligations under three federal laws: the Accessible Canada Act, the Employment Equity Act and the Pay Equity Act.
While the Employment Equity Act has been law since 1995, two of these laws are still relatively new to employers and service providers in Canada. The Pay Equity Act and its regulations came into force this past summer; the Accessible Canada Act became law in 2019; and the initial Accessible Canada Regulations came into force December 22, 2021.
Protecting human rights
Each year, the Canadian Human Rights Commission helps thousands of people find the most efficient way to address their human rights concerns or find information about their rights. In many of these cases, the Commission helps people resolve their issues quickly and informally, or helps them find the appropriate process to resolve their issue.
Promoting human rights
The Commission is responsible for promoting equality and inclusion in Canada. We do this by raising awareness, encouraging dialogue, conducting research and analysis, engaging with civil society and the international human rights community, providing expert advice to policy-makers, and speaking out on pressing human rights issues affecting people in vulnerable situations.
