Human rights comission's cry for help
Saturday, September 10, 2005
- Organization: The Toronto Star
Human rights commission's cry for help
HELEN HENDERSON
When he took over as head of Ontario's human rights commission almost a decade ago, former MPP Keith Norton signed on for $27,000 a year less than his predecessor.The voluntary pay cut was a bow to public resentment over "double-dipping" politicians who continued to collect taxpayer-funded pensions after losing their seats and being appointed to high-paying government-funded jobs.So Norton, a Conservative whose cabinet posts included health, social services and education, subtracted the $27,000 he received in pension each year from taxpayers from the $112,000 chief commissioner's base salary, also paid by taxpayers.It was the right thing to do. But, in hindsight, it may have been an ominous foreshadowing of what lay ahead for financing of the Ontario Human Rights Commission itself.Each year, while its caseload has increased, funding has effectively flatlined, to the extent that Norton says it is "reaching a critical point in its ability to function effectively."Now he wants Ontarians to tell him what they think of the province's human rights system. Is it doing its job? Is it of any real use if the process is unnecessarily complicated, it takes eons to get a complaint heard and decisions have no force in law? Can it be made stronger and more effective?The review comes in response to an edict from Attorney General Michael Bryant to develop a blueprint for reform by winter.Norton, who will turn 65 next year, has made his views on the issue quite clear. In his "final annual report" for the commission's 2004-2005 fiscal year, he says: "I am concerned by the lack of government response to our repeated requests for procedural amendments to the Human Rights Code or additional resources to deal with the growing number of new complaints filed each year."During that year, 2,399 new cases were filed, up almost 20 per cent from the average for the previous five years. On March 31 this year, the commission had 2,733 active cases. By July 12, when Norton released his annual report, it had more than 3,000 active complaints. The average age of cases is 11.6 months, up from 10.8 the previous year."Without either an increase in financial resources or legislative amendments, I am concerned that the commission risks losing some or all of what it has worked hard to accomplish these past 10 years in both compliance and promotion of human rights," Norton said in a news release.What exactly has the commission done for us lately? Among other things, it has published reports and discussion papers on racial profiling, education for students with disabilities, barriers at major restaurant chains and discrimination on the basis of family status.It has filed a formal complaint against the Ministry of Education and the Toronto District School Board charging that the Safe Schools Act and its discipline policies are being applied disproportionately to visible minorities, including students with disabilities.It also has produced a discussion paper that can be used as a reference in filling out an online questionnaire or otherwise passing on your views about how the human rights system can be improved.A number of factors are considered key to an effective system: Is it independent, free from manipulation? Is its jurisdiction clearly defined? Does it have the power it needs? Is it accessible, efficient, accountable?The complaints process in particular has come under a lot of fire from many human rights advocates, who find it overly complex. Most would also like to see the human rights commission given more teeth to make its decisions binding.What would you do to improve things?Fill out an online questionnaire, to be posted until Sept. 16, and tell them what you think. For more information, see http://www.ohrc.on.ca, call 416-326-9511 (voice) or 416-314-6526 (TTY) or write Ontario Human Rights Commission, 180 Dundas St. W., Toronto, Ont. M7A 2R9.
HELEN HENDERSON
When he took over as head of Ontario's human rights commission almost a decade ago, former MPP Keith Norton signed on for $27,000 a year less than his predecessor.The voluntary pay cut was a bow to public resentment over "double-dipping" politicians who continued to collect taxpayer-funded pensions after losing their seats and being appointed to high-paying government-funded jobs.So Norton, a Conservative whose cabinet posts included health, social services and education, subtracted the $27,000 he received in pension each year from taxpayers from the $112,000 chief commissioner's base salary, also paid by taxpayers.It was the right thing to do. But, in hindsight, it may have been an ominous foreshadowing of what lay ahead for financing of the Ontario Human Rights Commission itself.Each year, while its caseload has increased, funding has effectively flatlined, to the extent that Norton says it is "reaching a critical point in its ability to function effectively."Now he wants Ontarians to tell him what they think of the province's human rights system. Is it doing its job? Is it of any real use if the process is unnecessarily complicated, it takes eons to get a complaint heard and decisions have no force in law? Can it be made stronger and more effective?The review comes in response to an edict from Attorney General Michael Bryant to develop a blueprint for reform by winter.Norton, who will turn 65 next year, has made his views on the issue quite clear. In his "final annual report" for the commission's 2004-2005 fiscal year, he says: "I am concerned by the lack of government response to our repeated requests for procedural amendments to the Human Rights Code or additional resources to deal with the growing number of new complaints filed each year."During that year, 2,399 new cases were filed, up almost 20 per cent from the average for the previous five years. On March 31 this year, the commission had 2,733 active cases. By July 12, when Norton released his annual report, it had more than 3,000 active complaints. The average age of cases is 11.6 months, up from 10.8 the previous year."Without either an increase in financial resources or legislative amendments, I am concerned that the commission risks losing some or all of what it has worked hard to accomplish these past 10 years in both compliance and promotion of human rights," Norton said in a news release.What exactly has the commission done for us lately? Among other things, it has published reports and discussion papers on racial profiling, education for students with disabilities, barriers at major restaurant chains and discrimination on the basis of family status.It has filed a formal complaint against the Ministry of Education and the Toronto District School Board charging that the Safe Schools Act and its discipline policies are being applied disproportionately to visible minorities, including students with disabilities.It also has produced a discussion paper that can be used as a reference in filling out an online questionnaire or otherwise passing on your views about how the human rights system can be improved.A number of factors are considered key to an effective system: Is it independent, free from manipulation? Is its jurisdiction clearly defined? Does it have the power it needs? Is it accessible, efficient, accountable?The complaints process in particular has come under a lot of fire from many human rights advocates, who find it overly complex. Most would also like to see the human rights commission given more teeth to make its decisions binding.What would you do to improve things?Fill out an online questionnaire, to be posted until Sept. 16, and tell them what you think. For more information, see http://www.ohrc.on.ca, call 416-326-9511 (voice) or 416-314-6526 (TTY) or write Ontario Human Rights Commission, 180 Dundas St. W., Toronto, Ont. M7A 2R9.
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