Human Rights Is Big Bucks

Winnipeg Free Press – Two-and-a-half million dollars down, another $36.5 million to go.

The Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights just received $2.5 million to help build the museum that’s under construction at The Forks.

Or Maybe They Recognize That “Human Rights” Is A Franchise Racket

CNW – Harper Government Steps Up Attacks against Women’s Human Rights

In recent weeks, the following organizations have been denied funding by Status of Women Canada (SWC): the New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity, le Conseil d’intervention pour l’accès des femmes au travail (CIAFT), the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses, Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW), Réseau des tables régionales de groupes de femmes du Québec, the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation, Action travail des femmes.

Several other key organizations have been denied SWC funding in the last few years, such as the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women, Womenspace, the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada, the Alberta Network of Immigration Women, Centre de documentation sur l’éducation des adultes et la condition feminine, Association féminine d’éducation et d’action sociale (AFEAS.)

The Human Right To Have The Public Pay For Your Sex Change Operation

Edmonton Journal – Dismayed and angry members of the transgendered community are preparing to launch a human rights complaint after the province delisted sex-change surgery from its funding coverage.

“It’s a matter of life and death,” said Jamie-Lynn Garvin, a 47-year-old who has been living as a woman for the last two years and was on a waiting list for a sex-change operation (although her funding hadn’t yet been approved).

Canadian Senator A Little Less Cordial Than Abortion Money Beggars Would Like

Health Zone – Aid experts alarmed by Canada’s new anti-abortion stand in foreign policy have received some raw political advice from a Conservative senator: “shut the f— up” or it could get worse.

“We’ve got five weeks or whatever left until G-8 starts. Shut the f— up on this issue,” Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth told a group of international-development advocates who gathered on Parliament Hill on Monday to sound the alarm about Canada’s hard-right stand against abortion in foreign aid.

Damn Canadian Judges Dig This “Free Expression” Thing

Ontario Superior Court Of Justice, May 3, 2010. Click to read full ruling.

Toronto Star: Canadian Human Rights Commission Deserves A “B”

Toronto Star – Hate speech and the Canadian Human Rights Commission: B

Any restriction on speech has to have a clear social benefit, and so we recognize the Canadian Human Rights Commission for its decision in the Lemire case to deem the hate speech provision of the Canadian Human Rights Code to be unconstitutional.

vs.

Examiner – Don’t expect Commissioner Lynch to bring about change to way the system works, at least not in anyway that protects and respects the fundamental freedoms Canadians cherish such as free expression…

Asking Ms. Lynch this week about changing well documented problem behaviours in the CHRC, she tried to tell me that they are rated as one of the best places to work by civil servants and that they are continually improving.

“We are proud of how we accomplish our work,” says Lynch. I just wish the rest of us could say the same.

Lawyers See Dollar Signs, Speak Appropriately

Vancouver Sun – The rules that allowed a Vancouver Catholic high school to sideline a lesbian teacher after her lifestyle became an issue have been in place for decades across the country and have been upheld by Canada’s highest court.

But labour and employment lawyers said Thursday it may be time for the Supreme Court of Canada to revisit the issue of how religious rights and freedoms can in some cases trump individual human rights.

Human Rights Chick: Hey, Where’s All The Free Money?

Globe and Mail – What issues are you going to be raising?

We’re thrilled the Canadian government has decided to focus on maternal and child health for the G8. But the fact is that they’ve been backsliding. This is a government that hasn’t taken gender equality and women’s rights issues very seriously in terms of our foreign aid. The Canadian government used to give a lot of funding directly to women’s organizations, but we’ve been shrinking that funding over the years.

If You Want The Public To Pay For Your Boobs, Get In Quick

Vancouver Sun – Albertans who have already had voluntary mastectomies or have started hormone therapy that has irreversibly led them to change sexes will be eligible to have their transgender surgery paid for by the province if they apply by July 31.

Funding for up to 20 people will remain in place for the sex-change surgeries until 2014-15, when the cash will dry up from Alberta Health and Wellness.

Thinking Of Starting A Business? Think Again

Metro – Canadian employers have historically taken an ignorant view of human rights tribunals and their often extraordinary decisions. But that may be quickly changing.

Sweeping changes to human rights legislation and left-leaning adjudicators directed to interpret remedial legislation — such as human rights laws — in a broad and inclusive manner, should leave employers very concerned. Here are some of the reasons why…

Remember That Time You Told Gus That He Couldn’t Take The Weekend Off To Fly To Vegas? You Were Committing A Crime Against Humanity

National Post – The European Union has declared travelling a human right, and is launching a scheme to subsidize vacations with taxpayers’ dollars for those too poor to afford their own trips.

Antonio Tajani, the European Union commissioner for enterprise and industry, proposed a strategy that could cost European taxpayers hundreds of millions of euros a year, The Times of London reports.

“Travelling for tourism today is a right. The way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life,” Mr. Tajani told a group of ministers at The European Tourism Stakeholders Conference in Madrid on April 15.

Prince Edward Island: Human Rights Boffo Bucks

Annual Report 07/08 – Concerning the monetary claims, after looking at the constituent elements of the harassment experienced by the complainant, the Panel awarded $50,000 in general damages.  On the claim for loss of income…the Panel awarded the sum of $425,058.00 for loss of income during the years 1997-2006.

Since There’s No Repercussions, Why Not File A Complaint?

Bold ours.

Your Ottawa Region – Update: The respondents have agreed with the suspension of proceedings. The case is now closed.

The human rights violation claim against Mayor Terry Gibeau and the Town of Arnprior was dropped suddenly April 12.

Applicants Igor (Alex) Winter and James (Ron) MacIntyre contacted the Ontario Human Rights Commission to have the claim dismissed after nine days of hearings. The final two days were to take place early next week at the Best Western hotel, on Carling Avenue in Ottawa.

Repeated requests for interviews went unanswered by Winter, MacIntrye and their lawyer, Gordon Douglas of Gowlings Lafleur Henderson in Ottawa…Tribunal vice-chairman David A. Wright, who was presiding over the hearing, also refused comment.

From the Tribunal’s “Core Values” section:

Transparency: Tribunal procedures will be clearly established and decisions will be made in an open way, with substantive reasons that are clear, concise and understandable.

Blogger Psyched About Job Prospect

Scaramouche – Love power? Looking for employment? Willing to relocate to beautiful British Columbia? Well, then, do I have the job for you–a spot on the B.C. Roobunal…

Good call:

Heather MacNaughton, Chair, BC Human Rights Tribunal. 2008 salary: $172, 101.

Whenever Someone Tells Us That “Human Rights” Isn’t About Money, We Laugh Our Heads Off

CTV – The Forks in Winnipeg is undergoing a makeover which is expected to last around ten years.

The Forks North Portage and their site partners outlined their plans for the future of the area at a Public Open House on Saturday.

Some of the projects include an Adventure Park for kids, renovations to the Manitoba Children Museum and the Upper Fort Garry Heritage Park and Interpretive Centre as well as the anticipated completion of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

There are also plans to build 350 condominium and apartment suites.

Asking Where The Money Goes Is Tantamount To Murder

Toronto Star – The new Conservative appointees hounded the [Rights and Democracy] president, Remy Beauregard, over three small grants he had given to one Israeli and two Palestinians NGOs to probe possible human rights violations during the Israeli attack on Gaza a year ago. He died of a heart attack caused by the harassment, said his wife, Suzanne Trepanier, who testified Tuesday.

Paper: Bitching Is Their Business, And Business Is Good

Toronto Star – Call Ontario’s new human-rights legal centre for help with racism and the telephone wait time could last up to 20 minutes.

Some people who have experienced discrimination will eventually get advice. Others give up and never call back.

Earlier today, the Star revealed that the centre is swamped with allegations of sex, race and disability discrimination, leaving front-line staff able to answer only 57 percent of the 38,579 calls received in the year-long period ending March 31.

Human Rights Is Big Bucks #21: Ontario Human Rights Commission

According to salary disclosure rules, only people earning over $100,000/year must be listed for public viewing. Here are the numbers from 2008.

We cut some slack and didn’t add up the cents.

Top earner: Nancy Austin, Executive Director. $211,469

Lowest earner: Roxanne Kalimootoo, Registrar. $100,174

Middle of the road: Barbara Hall, Chief Commissioner. $139,869

Total Salaries for the 17 earning over 100 grand: $2,583,805

Average pay per year for the 17 earning over 100 grand: $151,988

Human Rights Is Big Bucks #20: Barbara Humphreys

Barbara Humphreys, British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal, Title Not Available, 2007-2008 numbers, latest available:

Salary: $108, 850

Rank out of 5452 high earners: 975

[Note: BCHRT website lists Humphreys’ title as “Full-Time Member”]

Human Rights Is Big Bucks #19: Heather MacNaughton

Heather MacNaughton, Chair, British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal. (2007-2008 numbers; latest available):

Salary: $172, 101

Rank out of 5,452 high earners in BC Government: 203

BC Politico: “Social Condition” The Newest Crime Against Humanity

National Post – Try as I might, I can’t understand how a private member’s bill proposed by the BC NDP’s Jenny Kwan to amend the BC Human Rights Code will “strengthen protections for the homeless.”

The bill, called the the Protection of the Homeless Act, would amend the Code to include the term “social condition” as prohibited grounds for discrimination.

Nevermind The Country. What Will It Do To The Party?

Star Phoenix – It would be a shame if Judge David Arnot’s proposal to modernize the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission were to get lost in the mud and the blood and the smear that now dominate the legislature.

It would be a shame for this province and the country, but most of all it would be a shame for the Saskatchewan Party and the NDP, both of which are the progeny of farsighted Saskatchewan political leaders who brought Canada into the era of human rights.

Politician Bummed That Trumped Up Charges Might Cost Money

CBC – The provincial government says it’s considering a proposal to have human rights cases handled in the courts instead of before the Saskatchewan Human Rights Tribunal…

However, Frank Quennell, the NDP Opposition’s justice critic who raised the issue in the legislature, said if the government intends to “dissolve” the Tribunal, as he thinks it does, it means more people will have to pay for legal help to go to the courts to defend their basic human rights.

Currently, a lawyer from the commission often presents the complainant cases. Quennell said he’s worried that will change.

“Does the government intend to force Saskatchewan people to spend thousands of dollars to defend their human rights — and hire a lawyer to do so — in courts?”

She Obviously Sucks At It If There’s Still Such A Problem

So Feminine – If one person from the EU Commission has made an impact, it’s Viviane Reding… “This thing with me and gender equality goes way back,” she says. As a student feminist, as one of the youngest members of Parliament, then as rapporteur for women’s rights, and as president of the Christian Social Women’s Group, she was closely involved in the preparations for the World Conference on Women in Beijing. “So I know my stuff,” she says.

Human Rights Head: These Paltry $15 000 Grants Are Chump Change

National Post – The committee will hear the organization will increasingly divert money into larger programs, where it has to justify the investment of taxpayers’ dollars on a project-by-project basis. “We will become a lot more accountable…. [Improving human rights] is an activity that needs money and patience. You are not going to change bad practice on human rights overnight. There needs to be continuous investment and you don’t do that with $15,000 grants,” he said in his first interview since being appointed president at the end of February.