About the Commission

Our work

The Canadian Human Rights Commission is Canada's human rights watchdog. We work for the people of Canada and operate independently from the Government. The Commission helps ensure that everyone in Canada is treated fairly, no matter who they are. We are responsible for representing the public interest and holding the Government of Canada to account on matters related to human rights.

The Canadian Human Rights Act gives the Commission the authority to research, raise awareness, and speak out on any matter related to human rights in Canada. The Commission is responsible for administering the Act, which protects people in Canada from discrimination when based on any of the grounds of discrimination such as race, sex and disability. Under the Act, the Commission receives human rights complaints and works with both the complainant and respondent to resolve the issues through mediation.

When a complaint cannot be settled, or when the Commission decides that further examination is warranted, it may refer the complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for a decision. In cases where the issue has the potential to either affect the rights of many people in Canada or help define or clarify human rights law, the Commission's legal team will participate in the hearing and represent the public interest.

The Accessible Canada Act, the Employment Equity Act, and the Pay Equity Act give the Commission the authority to work with federally regulated employers to ensure they are preventing discrimination and promoting inclusion through proactive compliance with these laws. This contributes to the elimination of employment barriers and wage discrimination in federally regulated workplaces for women, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities and racialized groups. The Commission also serves as the National Monitoring Mechanism for Canada's implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This designates the Commission as the body responsible for monitoring how the Convention is put into action in Canada, and to identify gaps and priority issues that need to be addressed.

Our people

The Commission operates across Canada with a team of approximately 290 people and has been led by Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Marie-Claude Landry since 2015.

Commissioners

In 2021, the Commission comprised four full-time Commissioners, including Chief Commissioner Marie-Claude Landry; Deputy Chief Commissioner Geneviève Chabot; Pay Equity Commissioner, Karen Jensen; and Commissioner Edith Bramwell. The Commission also included three part-time Commissioners: Joanna Harrington, Rachel Leck, and Dianna Scarth.