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Human Rights

  • Image: "Doctor in protective suit and face mask holding syringe" by focusonmore.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The media informs us of increasing numbers of Canadians who are receiving COVID-19 vaccines. Others are not yet eligible or decline to do so.   There are no indications that these vaccines will be mandatory. Can an employer require its employees to receive...

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  • Image: "jail" by the_kid_cl is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The BC Human Rights Tribunal recently awarded its highest injury to dignity award yet. The recipient was an employee who experienced race-related discrimination at work. The case was heard in two stages. First, the Tribunal decided if discrimination had occurred.  In July,...

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  • Image: "Study" by Tim Swinson | http://timswinson.com is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Clearly, some members of society are being left behind amid responses to  corona virus. Women, the disabled and the impoverished are particularly affected. Between March and June, schools in B.C. and Alberta abruptly closed. Alberta’s government is closing middle and high schools again...

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  • Image: "Pension Plan - retired couple on a stack of coins" by verchmarco is licensed under CC BY 2.0
In Fraser v. Canada (Attorney General), the Supreme Court of Canada recently held that the RCMP violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter) for women who job shared. This case involved indirect, or adverse effect, discrimination. This occurs...

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  • Image: "Plating DNA Samples" by kqedquest is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Is a Canadian employer permitted to fire an employee based on a genetic predisposition to develop a disability?  Can it defend WCB claims based on genetic predispositions? Can an employer require employees to submit to genetic testing? Can insurance companies deny...

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  • Photo: "At the protest for the International Day Against Police Brutality" by Grant Neufeld is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
It may be tempting, when watching incidents of police brutality in the United States, to think the problem does not really exist in Canada.  However, police misconduct and a lack of accountability do exist in Canada. Videos recently surfaced of RCMP...

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  • Photo: "The view at random times" by jon_a_ross is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Have you ever encountered a situation in which you knew an organization was being unfair, but you weren’t sure what to do about it? It is possible that a violation of the administrative law duty of procedural fairness may have occurred.  This is...

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  • Photo: "Wahi Sawaal | Short Film" by Abhey Singh, jaikishan patel is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
As International Women’s Day approaches, what better time to introduce legislative amendments to assist employees impacted by “domestic or sexual violence.” For simplicity, I will refer to this as domestic abuse.  If implemented, the amendments will also apply to employees...

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  • Photo: "Valentine (36)" by M.aryam is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
A noticeable number of people have met their soul mate at work. Some may say there can never be enough love in this world. Becoming romantically involved with someone you work with is not illegal. However, some workplace relationships are inherently problematic. This...

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  • Photo: "Eid Mubarak Greeting Cards" by Rimana Zaman is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
This time of year, many of us are busy preparing for the upcoming holiday season. It is important to remember that the two biggest holidays of the year – Christmas and Easter- arise from one faith tradition. Of course, not everyone shares...

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