Once upon a time, Human Rights were basic. The big ones were…
Sex (male/female)which basically dealt with female issues like pregnancy, maternity leave, breastfeeding,and such.
Religion
Race/colour
Ancestry/place of origin
And disability
Though it also dealt with citizenship, family status, record of offences for employment and receipt of assistance for housing.
I remember loving Human Rights as a Jewish, disabled, woman. I practiced in Human Rights, and it was undoubtedly one of my favourites. Today it is not so… The most common today is Indigenous and LGBTQ+. An example copied right off the Law Society website
Q: “What is Discrimination?
A: “Discrimination includes unwelcome comments or actions that relate to a person’s personal characteristics, for example race, gender, sexual orientation, and age. It is the impact of the behaviour, not the intention behind it, that determines whether the behaviour is discriminatory. Discrimination violates the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Law Society’s Rules of Professional Conduct, and the Paralegal Rules of Conduct.”\
“The definition of Harassment?
Harassment is a form of discrimination. It includes unwelcome comments or behaviour when such conduct might reasonably be expected to cause insecurity, discomfort, offence, or humiliation to another person. For example, harassment includes
Name calling
Racial slurs
Racist jokes
Demands for sexual favours
Sexually suggestive or obscene comments or gestures
Sexist jokes
Describe the Impact of Discrimination and Harassment?
Discrimination and harassment are demeaning practices that attack the dignity and self-respect of the victim, poison relationships and can cause workplace problems such as low morale, reduced productivity, and the loss of valuable employees.”
The governments doesn’t care about all the people who lost their jobs because they did not want to get the vaccine which in now proven to not even be beneficial to society at large?
Another great example of our province is ODSP, it has not gone up in 3 years. The amount they give is barely enough to cover rent, not to mention, food, clothes, transit, and phone, some people are choosing medically assisted suicide simplyfor financial reasons which are the result of this!
It is also legal for a doctor to decide to do medically assisted suicide without the patients or next of Kins permission in Ontario with certain parameters if they have a disability.
Furthermore, over the past two years masking has become a mandate and required by law.
Many people with disabilities cannot wear a mask safely. Repeatedly this is forgotten. From being kicked out of stores, or forced to wear, to being in the Emergency room for a day and half and being required to wear although it is known to be unsafe. People with medical specialist appointments are being forced to wear or not see the doctor. Ontario and DougFords government have completely left those of us with complex medical needs and disabilities behind.
I have a computer that talks due to a vision impairment. A client drop me after hearing my computer and my simple, honest, and professional response. I have no proof in writing, I have no grounds to claim discrimination and besides who would care? The Law Society doesn’t their website clearly explains what they consider to be discrimination and disabilities are not mentioned.
Pools that have gender specific times (women only/men only) now have lifeguards that “identify as the gender”even when they are obviously physiologically not so. The point of the gender specific are for religious people who care about these things-yet once again gender identity trumps religious observance in Ontario.
Bank tellers, strangers, neighbours, and customer service people make judgments, assumptions, curse, and some simply tell me I am not welcome, in some cases with my elementary age daughter with me.