Canadian Human Rights Review

In 1999, NAWL presented a Brief to the Canadian Human Rights Act Review Panel. We underlined the need for a better, faster way of processing human rights complaints.

We urged the Task Force to recommend inclusion of social condition as a protected ground of discrimination under the Act.

We also told the Review Panel that if the Human Rights Act is to make a difference for the most disadvantaged women in Quebec and in Canada, it must also include social and economic rights.

Finally, we let the Panel know that ironically, the Act itself creates discrimination: it excludes women who are not legally present in Canada and women who are discriminated against because of the Indian Act.

• NAWL Brief to the Canadian Human Rights Act Review Panel (December 1999)