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B.C. Human Rights Coalition #1202 510 West Hastings St. Vancouver, B.C. V6B 1L8 Tel: 604.689.8474 Fax: 604.689.7511 1-877-689-8474 |
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Welcome Contact Usfor Complainants for Respondents If you need to defend yourself against a complaint and need answers to the who, what, how of defending yourself see Responding to a Complaint. Want to understand the law around applying to have a case dismissed - Check here. If you are you a respondent looking to get free legal representation contact the Law Centre. Information about human rights, the Human Rights Code, and how to file a complaint or respond to a complaint is available on this site, or from the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, the Ministry of the Attorney General, and through Service BC offices across BC. If you can't find something, call us: 604-689-8474 or toll free 1-877-689-8474. In partnership with the Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS), we run a provincial human rights clinic that provides assistance and representation to those who need help dealing with a provincial human rights complaint. Our Clinic page provides detail on this service and its intake procedures and How to Apply for Representation In addition to the above, every Monday between 10 and 4 an Advocate is on-site at the Tribunal's offices in Vancouver to provide additional assistance to those who have difficulty framing complaints or replying to applications. This onsite service is on a first come first serve basis. Additionally, this service is being provided in Kelowna. Our section on Grounds of Protection under the B.C. Human Rights Code. Includes definitions, caselaw and examples of each ground of protection Confused about the difference between the BC Human Rights Tribunal and the BC Human Rights Coalition? We find that many people are so we have a chart to explain what each party does at each step in the process. Looking for online resources regarding human rights? We've compiled a listing of fact sheets, guides and policies from sources across the country. The materials are sorted by issue with brief descriptions and links to the source document. Pdf version. The Coalition has produced an updated version of our "Human Rights, Your Rights To Know" booklet. The booklet is written in plain language and explains what protections the provincial human rights law provides, how you can make a complaint and who can help you. An online pdf version is available or call in your request. The Ministry of the Attorney General has revised their series of information pamphlets on human rights protections in British Columbia. Seven separate pamphlets are available in English, Mandarin, and Punjabi. What's NewNEW ATTORNEY GENERAL APPOINTED
2009 Rosemary Brown Award Winners Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign
Grandmothers to Grandmothers groups in British Columbia have won the Rosemary Brown Award for Women for 2009. The award, now in its fifth year, was named for Rosemary Brown, the first black woman elected to a Canadian legislature (in BC 1972-1986). Barbara Clay, chair of the Greater Vancouver “Gogos”, (African for Grandmother) accepted the award at a ceremony on June 3, along with grandmothers from the Kamloops Go Grannies and the Nanaimo Go Grannies which were the first two groups in B.C. The Stephen Lewis Foundation's Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign seeks to build solidarity, raise awareness and mobilize support in Canada for Africa's grandmothers. Some 220 groups of Canadian grandmothers have taken up the call to action. To date, the campaign has raised more than $6 million for African grandmothers and the children in their care. These funds are distributed to community-level organizations in 15 sub-Saharan African countries that provide grandmothers with much needed support, such as food, housing grants, school fees for their grandchildren and grief counseling. Grandmothers have emerged as the 'unsung heroes' of Africa.
They bury their own children and then in their 50s, 60s and 70s begin to parent again, raising their grandchildren with little or no support. In some countries, 40-60% of orphans live in grandmother-headed households. These courageous and resilient women have no time to grieve. Their priority is the next generation: the infants, toddlers, and teenagers who are left behind. Although there is never enough for their burgeoning households, somehow these grandmothers attempt to feed, clothe and comfort their grandchildren. The Grandmothers receive the Rosemary Brown Award (held by Barbara Clay, chair of the Greater Vancouver Gogos) and commemorative plaques that were presented to the Kamloops, Nanaimo and Vancouver chapters. (View a slideshow of the event) (See video experpt of Barbara Clay's Acceptance speech) The Rosemary Brown Award for Women is sponsored by the United Nations Association of Canada (Vancouver chapter), the BC Association of Social Workers, the University Women’s Club of Vancouver, the BC Federation of Labour, the BC Human Rights Coalition, the National Congress of Black Women and the Society for the Children and Youth of BC. Human trafficking is a global problem. Canada has been identified as both a transit and a destination point for human trafficking, and Vancouver has been singled out by the U.S. state department as a port of major concern. In 2007 British Columbia established the Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons (OCTIP). OCTIP is focused on he protection of trafficked persons and on the prevention of human trafficking. The Office will also assist law enforcement in the prosecution of human trafficking offenders. Our Human Trafficking page has more information on the topic.
Local Author writes book on how to create a Respectful Workplace.
Ms. Pinsky started out doing both labour and human rights, and would be called in to deal with complaints. She noticed that she would get repeat business from a number of her clients. Noticing that she would be returning to the same workplaces she realized that despite writing workplace policies and doing training sometimes the situation would not change. She looked further and started to realize that the core of the problem in the majority of the cases was not one person being discriminated against or harassed or bullied; it was generally a systemic problem that flowed from the culture. She discerned that if companies really wanted to not have to deal with these kinds of complaints, and really wanted to comply with the spirit of human rights law - which is to create a respectful environment and real equality of opportunity, there had to be an environment to nurture these real principles. What was required was a way to change the culture in the workplace. Ms Pinsky wrote her book to assist employers in creating real and substantive change in the workplace based not only on the idealistic principles embodied in human rights law, but also based on economic efficiency – profitability. Hence the title “Road to Respect: Path to Profit”. To purchase a copy of her book click on the picture of the book above.
Updates The latest copy of our Newsletter is now available. This edition looks at the issue of sex (pregnancy) cases: cases where someone's employment is altered due to them becoming pregnant. These kinds of cases make up almost 10% of the clinic's cases. The July issue also takes an in depth look at the winners of the Rosemary Brown Award - The Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign (see above), and highlights a book by local author Erica Pinsky titled "Road to Respect: Path to Profit". Link to past issues here. The Annual General Meeting of the B.C. Human Rights Coalition was held on Wednesday, September 17, 2008. A copy of the Coalition's latest Annual Report covering the reporting period to March 31, 2008 is now available. (Older Reports) Amendments to BC's Human Rights Code came into effect on January 1, 2008 which provide more protection against age-based discrimination. The News section of the Tribunal's website explains the changes and more information is available on the Attorney General's website. We have a comprehensive education program which is offered province wide. We also provide consultation services to those designing and implementing human rights policies and procedures. Our Education Section outlines options or you may contact us directly. Security and You: Know Your Rights. The Coalition has launched a rights kit that raises awareness and increases public knowledge of rights and responsibilities when interacting with private security guards. A wallet sized rights card, a brochure and a supplementary website – www.securityandyou.ca - explain what guards can and cannot do, what the public’s rights are when interacting with guards and how to make a complaint against a guard. Cards and brochures can be downloaded from www.securityandyou.ca or you can contact the Coalition directly. Past News (link to past news stories)Information on this site is meant for general purposes only. If you require detailed information regarding a human rights situation, please contact us directly, or seek legal Counsel. In accordance with the provisions of the Personal Information Protection Act, Ms. Marilyn Minkler is the BC Human Rights Coalition's Privacy Officer. For any requests or inquiries on privacy matters, Ms. Minkler may be contacted at the Coalition or through email at marilyn@bchrcoalition.org. For information on privacy generally, or to obtain a copy of the Personal Information Protection Act, please access the Privacy Commissioner of BC website at www.oipc.bc.ca. Webmaster robyn@bchrcoalition.org |
Thanks to our Funders
The BC Human Rights Coalition would like to thank our funders, the Ministry of the Atttorney General, the Minsitry of Housing and Social Development - Gaming Enforcement and Policy Branch, and the City of Vancouver.
