The following recommendations have been excerpted from the Ontario Human Rights Code Review Task Force's June 26, 1992 report on human rights reform: Achieving Equality. Including its index and appendix, the entire report is over 250 pages long and consists on 88 broad recommendations designed to give it virtually absolute powers to prosecute employers, landlords, and service providers with charges of "discrimination," which it also gets to define. Those interested in obtaining a full copy of the report for $12 + G.S.T. post-paid in Ontario should write to

(5) "The Preamble to the Code should be amended to include the following:

• 'Whereas historic systemic discrimination has been practised against members of certain groups in Ontario because of their race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, record of offences, marital status, family status, disability, or receipt of public assistance;'"

(8) "The new Commission, 'Human Rights Ontario', should:

• maintain its strong, public interest mandate to advance human rights in Ontario; to act on the side of equality and against discrimination as the public conscience;

• no longer have a mandate to process, investigate, or settle individual human rights complaints;

• where necessary, investigate and then initiate key, systemic cases and seek broad remedies to ensure compliance by those responsible for providing equality;"

(18) "The Task Force recommends that the Ontario government negotiate with the federal government to make a Criminal Code offence malicious acts of discrimination against persons the Human Rights Code is designed to protect..."

(28) "The new enforcement system requires a permanent expert Tribunal."

(29) "The Task Force recommends that a permanent, full-time Equality Rights Tribunal be established to deal with human rights, pay equity and employment equity cases."

(35) "The Tribunal should make use, where appropriate, of modern technology including computers. video-conferencing and teleconferencing in order to maximize accessibility and minimize cost."

(37) "The Tribunal must have the power to make rules and procedures..."

(38) "The Tribunal should be required to base its decision on the real merits and justice of the case. It will not be bound to follow strict legal precedent but shall give a full opportunity for a hearing."

(38) "The Tribunal Officer or other authorized person should have the power (to):

• enter any place at any reasonable time and post any notice at such place;

• request the production for inspection of documents or things that may be relevant to the carrying out of the duties;

• question a person on matters that are or may be relevant... subject to the person's right to have counsel or some other representative present..."

(38) "Failure to comply with this requirement should have consequences."

(38) "The Tribunal adjudicator should have the power to compel evidence..."

(45) "The Tribunal should have the exclusive jurisdiction to exercise its power to determine all questions of fact or law that arise in any matter before it."

(46) "The Tribunal should be able to accept any evidence which it believes is reliable and relevant whether it is allowed as evidence in a court or not."

(48) "The Code should ensure that, where a business is sold, the Tribunal have the discretion to add successor businesses as necessary parties and to make any necessary order against them."

(49) "The Tribunal should also have the power to amend claims so that the case is heard on its merits."

(52) "In light of informality of the process, and the elimination of a full appeal right, there should be no requirement to record evidence."

(54) "Compensation for mental anguish should be provided to victims of discrimination."

(55) "The $10,000 limit for an award for mental anguish should be removed, allowing the amount of the award to depend on the facts of the case."

(56) "The Code should specify that among the remedies that may be ordered are accommodation equity and service equity plans, audit plans, and employment equity plans for those groups not covered by the Employment Equity Act."

(57) "The Tribunal should have the power to reconsider any decision and to vary, revoke, or substitute a new decision."

(57) "Apart from the power to reconsider, the Tribunal's decision should be final and protected from review from the courts except where the decision is patently unreasonable."

(60) "The Code should be amended to increase fines for obstruction of the Tribunal process or failure to comply with a Tribunal order to a level that is consistent with environmental protection legislation, that is, a minimum fine of $2,000 and a maximum fine of $200,000."

(60) "The money collected by the Treasurer of Ontario from the fines imposed under this section should be paid into an Enforcement Fund that could be called upon when extra funds are needed for the new human rights enforcement system."

(63) "Each year the Legislature should have a day of debate on equality rights..."

(67) "A public body against whom a human rights claim has been filed should be required to make public how much money it is spending on the case."

(73/74) "Landlords (and service providers) should be required to be informed about their human rights responsibilities relating to providing accommodation (or to the provision of their service). Human Rights Ontario would assist in providing information kits for which a fee would be charged."

(77) "Effective human rights material should be developed and included in the regular school curriculum at every level from the earliest years."

(77) "The Ontario Ministry of Education should... require it to be taught throughout the Ontario school system."

(79) "Teacher training courses should include training in human rights as a requirement for certification as a teacher."

(80) "School boards, colleges, and universities should be required to implement a clear, effective plan to overcome discriminatory employment practices so that teachers and administrators at all levels reflect the full community."

(88) "No later than the Spring Session, 1993, the Government should work with the Leaders of the Opposition to ensure that the bill is passed."

(88) "By SEPTEMBER 30, 1993 the now enforcement system should be reasonably operational."

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Page last updated on April 30, 2002