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### Viewing cable 08OTTAWA1032, CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONS STIR DEBATE

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08OTTAWA1032 | 2008-08-01 18:00 | 2011-04-28 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Ottawa

`

    VZCZCXRO1777
    PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
    DE RUEHOT #1032/01 2141800
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    P 011800Z AUG 08
    FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8278
    INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 OTTAWA 001032

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PHUM PGOV CA
    SUBJECT: CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONS STIR DEBATE

    ¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Federal and provincial Canadian Human
    Rights Commissions and Tribunals have over recent years come
    under intensified criticism, largely due to high-profile hate
    speech complaints, including about a controversial article on
    Muslims in Maclean's, a prominent Canadian magazine.  An
    all-Mission Canada reporting officers' DVC on July 28
    compared perceptions about and performance of the federal
    commission and the provincial equivalents, discovering a
    common track record of generally solid performance in support
    of human rights and against discrimination, despite some
    problems.  This cable will examine the federal commission and
    its framework, while septel will provide insights into the
    workings of the provincial bodies.  End summary.

    ¶2. (U) The federal Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC)
    administers the Canadian Human Rights Act and is responsible
    for enforcing the federal Employment Equity Act.  It has
    jurisdiction over all federally regulated employers,
    including federal departments and agencies, airlines,
    television and radio stations, and the Internet.  The
    Employment Equity Act covers more than a million federally
    regulated employees.  The CHRC's work focuses on three main
    areas:  resolving discrimination disputes; working with
    employers to prevent discrimination; and, educating
    stakeholders about human rights.

    DISPUTE RESOLUTION
    ------------------

    ¶3. (SBU) The CHRC serves as a screening body for the Canadian
    Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT).  Chief Commissioner Jennifer
    Lynch confirmed to PolMinCouns on July 21 that the CHRC
    attempts to resolve as many disputes as possible by
    mediation, and only ends up referring a small percentage of
    complaints to the CHRT for judgment.  Annually, the CHRC
    receives about 15,000 inquiries, of which only approximately
    700 turn into complaints and 80 go to the CHRT.
    Disability-related disputes invariably make up the largest
    proportion of complaints.  In 2007, 36 pct of complaints
    dealt with disabilities, 13 pct with gender, 12 pct with
    national or ethnic origin, 12 pct with age, and the remaining
    27 pct with a variety of other grounds for discrimination.

    ¶4. (SBU) The CHRC's first step after receiving an inquiry is
    to determine whether the allegations fall within its
    jurisdiction as established by the Canadian Human Rights Act.
     If the case is within its jurisdiction, CHRC officials seek
    "Early Resolution" through an on-the-record series of
    facilitated telephone conversations.  If this process is
    unsuccessful, or if a telephone discussion is impractical,
    the case goes to "Preventive Mediation," which involves
    face-to-face conversations aimed at establishing a mutually
    acceptable resolution.  If CHRC officials exhaust these
    options, the claimant can file a formal complaint, which goes
    to the CHRC's Investigations Division.  Following an
    investigation, Commissioners can dismiss the complaint,
    appoint a conciliator, or refer the matter to the CHRT.  The
    CHRT can impose penalties up to C$20,000 (US$19,499), or
    order other forms of non-financial redress.  Respondents may
    appeal CHRT decisions to the Federal Court of Canada for
    review.  Ultimately, a case could proceed to the Supreme
    Court of Canada, although such appeals are rare.

    ¶5. (SBU) According to its own statistics, the CHRC resolves
    eighty percent of cases via some type of mediation or
    settlement instead of referral to the CHRT.  Since Chief
    Commissioner Lynch's appointment in 2007, the CHRC has placed
    an extra emphasis on early resolution in order to clear up
    long-standing backlogs and to resolve cases more quickly.
    Qlong-standing backlogs and to resolve cases more quickly.
    This approach has the added benefit of cost savings; cases
    resolved at the mediation stage cost taxpayers an average of
    C$4,000 (US$3,905), while cases that go to CHRT cost as much
    as C$40,000 (US$39,055), not including the parties' personal
    or legal expenses.  The CHRC sends its own counsels to
    approximately 50 pct of cases at the CHRT.  Commission
    officials explained that the CHRC had discontinued its
    previous practice of representation at all CHRT cases due in
    part to limited resources but also to avoid giving the
    impression that it represents the complainants.  When a CHRC
    counsel is present, it is as the representative of the
    "public interest," rather than of a specific party.
    According to Commission officials, the "public interest" is
    not necessarily the same as a claimant's interest, but these
    interests overlap in the majority of cases.  Parties may
    separately choose to retain counsel, but are under no
    obligation to do so, and must pay all legal fees themselves.

    PREVENTION AND EDUCATION
    ------------------------

    ¶6. (SBU) The CHRC devotes considerable resources on
    pro-active initiatives to prevent discrimination and to

    OTTAWA 00001032  002 OF 003

    educate stakeholders on human rights.  The CHRC has
    established Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with a number
    of employers of federal jurisdiction, including the Canadian
    Border Services Agency, the Canadian Forces, Canada Post, and
    WestJet Airlines.  After establishing an MOU with the CHRC,
    employers become part of an Employer Advisory Council, which
    meets quarterly to discuss ways to prevent discrimination in
    the workplace.  The CHRC also directs a variety of other
    prevention programs, including an annual Discrimination
    Prevention Forum and an Employment Equity Compliance Program.

    ¶7. (SBU) Separately, the CHRC conducts research and publishes
    studies to develop stakeholders' and public knowledge of
    human rights.  In 2007, the CHRC published a guide to help
    employers properly manage concerns of employees who have
    returned to the work-force after prolonged absences due to
    disability or illness.  The Commission also released two
    reports on the legal and medical aspects of environmental
    sensitivities, including guidelines for accommodation of
    these sensitivities.  The CHRC is also active in
    international human rights fora, and Chief Commissioner Lynch
    is simultaneously Chair of the International Coordinating
    Committee of National Human Rights Institutes.  Chief
    Commissioner Lynch told PolMinCouns that she regretted the
    absence of a U.S. representative on the ICC and would welcome
    some U.S. participation.

    HATE SPEECH
    -----------

    ¶8. (SBU) The debate over hate speech and acceptable limits of
    free speech and expression has been ongoing in Canada since
    1977, when Parliament enacted the Canadian Human Rights Act,
    which includes a specific hate speech provision.  Section 13
    of the  Act prohibits the repeated telephonic communication
    of any matter "likely to expose a person or persons to hatred
    or contempt."  The 2001 Anti-Terrorism Act clarified that
    Section 13 applies to the Internet, giving the CHRC specific
    jurisdiction over hate speech on the Internet.  In 2007, the
    CHRC received 16 complaints alleging a breach of Section 13,
    representing approximately 2 pct of all complaints.  Since
    2001, the CHRC has rendered 14 decisions on Section 13
    complaints, 13 of which were against the respondent.

    ¶9. (SBU) Critics of the CHRC have argued that it is
    interpreting its mandate too broadly, leading to undue
    restrictions on the freedoms of speech and expression.  Some
    have claimed that CHRC and the CHRT processes can result in
    innocent respondents incurring substantial costs to defend
    themselves.  In response, Liberal MP Keith Martin has put
    forward a private member's motion in the House of Commons to
    repeal Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, while
    Conservative MP Rick Dykstra has introduced a motion calling
    for the House of Commons' Justice and Human Rights Committee
    to re-examine the mandate of the CHRC and how it interprets
    Section 13.  Neither has come to a vote.

    ¶10. (SBU) The CHRC's best known hate speech case was a 2006
    complaint filed by the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC) and a
    group of Muslim law students against Maclean's magazine
    regarding the publication of a selection of articles and book
    excerpts by author Mark Steyn.  The group separately filed
    concurrent complaints with provincial human rights
    commissions/tribunals in Ontario and British Columbia,
    alleging that the magazine had violated human rights by
    publishing anti-Islamic articles and refusing to publish the
    CIC's rebuttal.  In June 2008, the CHRC declined to proceed
    with the complaint, concluding that, while the articles were
    "obviously calculated to excite discussion and even offend
    Q"obviously calculated to excite discussion and even offend
    certain readers," the views were "not of an extreme nature,
    as defined by the Supreme Court."  The Ontario Human Rights
    Commission also dismissed the case, arguing it fell outside
    its jurisdiction.  The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal
    held hearings that closed in June 2008; a ruling is still
    pending.  (Note:  Septel on provincial human rights
    commissions will examine in more depth.  End note.)

    ¶11. (SBU) According to Chief Commissioner Lynch and other
    CHRC officials, such criticisms are unjustified.  They
    pointed out that the CHRC is legally required to accept and
    process all complaints that fall under its jurisdiction, and
    officials carefully adhere to the Canadian Supreme Court
    ruling that determined what constitutes "hate speech."  The
    Chief Commissioner emphasized that Canadian law clearly
    differs from U.S. law, in that, while the First Amendment of
    the U.S. Constitution provides for open-ended freedom of
    expression, Canadian legislators and courts have attempted to
    "strike a balance" between protecting freedom of expression
    and outlawing hate speech.  Specifically, the Canadian
    Supreme Court ruled that Section 13 does infringe on freedom
    of expression, but that this infringement is justified under
    Section 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,

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    which provides that the Charter is subject to "such
    reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably
    justified in a free and democratic society."

    ¶12. (SBU) CHRC officials privately acknowledged the political
    sensitivity of the hate speech issue, but asserted that the
    Maclean's magazine case was "unique," that Parliament never
    intended Section 13 issues to apply to mainstream media, and
    that, with the dismissal of the case, the CHRC's focus would
    shift back to the worst examples of hate speech.  They
    insisted that the CHRC is on the "right side" of the debate
    with respect to finding an appropriate balance between free
    speech and expression and prohibiting heinous speech that
    promotes hatred and contempt.  However, in June 2008, the
    CHRC launched a comprehensive policy review of how best to
    address hate messages on the Internet, with a report due in
    fall 2008.

    ¶13. (SBU) Comment:  Most of the CHRC's real work goes on
    under the public radar, although the tens of thousands of
    inquiries in recent years are a clear indication that
    Canadians are indeed sensitive to possible violations of
    their human or equal rights and are seeking remedies to
    perceived discrimination -- most of which the CHRC appears to
    have been able successfully to resolve.  Its education and
    foreign assistance activities also appear laudable and
    useful.   Despite the CHRC's ultimate dismissal of the
    Maclean's case, the hate crime issue will likely continue to
    consume considerable resources and divert energies away from
    the CHRC's more mainstream programs and foci, while the
    problem of "forum shopping" -- as in the Maclean's case -- is
    apt to grow, absent some clearer Parliamentary delineation of
    jurisdictions between the federal and provincial levels and
    among the provinces.

    Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
    http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada

    WILKINS

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