Human Rights In Canada

What are Humans rights?

• The rights of an individual to life in any human society.
• Equality, Religious Freedom etx.
• Human rights also involve respecting one another.
• People have the rights to basic need such as foods, Being able to have shelter.
• These are inalienable, Universal and indivisible
• Article 24 of the Declaration of Human Rights States “everyone has the rights to rest and leisure, including limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay
• Interesting fact: Canada is the world leader in protecting Human Rights

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Canadian Coalition For The Rights Of Children.

• November 1989, The United Nations created the Coalition on the Rights of the children.
• Set the fundamental freedom of which children were entitled at birth.
• In Canada, Organization that commited to children's well-being came together to promote the ratification of the convention.
• Once the convention was ratified by parliament in 1991 the coalition set standards.
• To establish local, provincial, national/international organization concerned about the well being of children.
• Encourage the federal government to support leadership roles for Canadians on the United nations committee on the Rights of the Child.

History

• Dates back all the way to the ancient world.
• 1215, The Magna Carta contained implication to what we now see as human rights (equal treatment).
• In 1689, the Bill of Rights reaffirmed the Magna Carta and made all future monarchs obey the laws (Britain).
• 1833, the british Emancipation abolished slavery throughout it’s empire (including Canada).
• In Britain step by step, human rights were protected and enforced beneath common-law system.
• Eventually Canada then inherited these rights by Britain.
• In 1948 Canada signed The Universal Declaration of humans rights.

Discrimination of Human Rights in Canada

• After Japan's attack on pearl harbour in 1941 Canada used provisions of the war measure act to intern 22,000 Canadians of a Japanese descent.
• Within weeks of the of the attacked, the Canadian government started to seized all japanese-canadian fishing boats and rounded up these citizen and placed them in internment camps in BC.
• Most of these Japanese-Canadian work on these boats
• Properties and any belongings were taken from them as well
• They were forced to work building roads or on farms
• Women, children were confined to camps until the end of aaaaaaaaaaaaa the war in 1945

Impact of World War II

• Illegal Labour Camps
• More than 50% of everyone killed during the war were civilians.
• Jews targeted by the Nazi’s (6 million killed).

United Nations General assembly proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). It included Fundamental Freedoms, Legal Rights, Equality Rights, Economic, Social, and Cultural rights. This is known as International law. Every country must abide.

Development of Human rights

• Barbara turnbull is a handicapped women who went to the cinema in Toronto after buying her ticket she was asked to ``get out the wheelchair.” Barbara was discriminated based off her situation.
• Barbara couldn’t get up the stairs to watch the movie she paid for because of her wheelchair.
• Since people in wheelchairs were not accommodated to see movies they complained to the Ontario Human Rights Commission

Human Rights Case

• After Barbara took action for the discrimination she had felt and that her human rights were violated
• She ended up winning her case against Famous Player Cinemas
• This was because she was a victim of prejudice, stereotyping and the biggest one Discrimination

House Rules

• In 1936 Fred Christie entered a forum’s tavern and ordered a beer but the barman refused to serve Fred
• The barman explained that the “house rules” prohibits him from serving “coloured people”
• Christie brought up an action against York Corporation, and the owners of the tavern for the humiliation he suffered

House Rule Case

• Fred Christie tried suing for $200 and he argued that by them giving instruction not to serve “coloured people” He suffered humiliation.
• York Corporation argued that, in giving instruction to not serve black people it was merely to protect it’ business interests
• Supreme Court decided any merchant can do business however and with whoever they decide.

The founding of the Ontario Human Right Commission

Established in 1961,

It was the first human rights commission in Canada mandate to administer and enforce human rights code protecting individuals. The commissioner Dan Hill was a black civil rights activists. He was in that position through the 60s.

Definitions

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Discriminations - Treating a person differently for no valid reason.

Stereotyping - Judging one person of a group and applying it to all group members Ex. Thinking all muslims are terrorist.

Prejudice - An option or judgment based on irrelevant consideration.

Human Rights - The rights of a human individuals to basic life in a human society.

Interment - When a country forces people considered enemies to live in a “special” area or camp.

Balance of probabilities - The burden of proof in civil law

Bona fide - latin word meaning “In good faith”

Undue hardship - The result of a change which would affect the economic viability of an employer