Links to legal news stories and legal resources focusing on Canada, human rights and the rule of law. The site includes links to legal news from Canada, United States, United Kingdom and international sources such as the Canadian Bar Association, Lexis Nexis, various weblogs (blogs) and the Supreme Court of Canada.
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal applies the rights of equality, equal opportunity, fair treatment, and non-discrimination to cases referred to it by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. The site provides a database of decisions from 1979 onwards
The British Columbia (BC) Human Rights Tribunal is an independent quasi-judicial body established by the BC Human Rights Code. It deals with complaints referred to it by the British Columbia Human Rights Commission.
Highlighting human rights in Ontario, Archives of Ontario Highlighting Human rights in Ontario is one of several online exhibitions based on collections held at the Archives of Ontario, Canada. The site traces "the evolving recognition of human rights" in the province. The exhibition takes as its starting point the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human rights. Yet the display is somewhat anachronistic in its reading back of the United Nations definition into Ontario history going back to the late eighteenth century. Nonetheless, the site provides an fascinating account of life in the province from a human rights perspective. The display is organised according to the following themes: Ontario – a Haven From Persecution ; the Right to a Fair Trial ; Freedom from Slavery ; Freedom of Religion ; Women's rights ; Right to Education ; Freedom of Peaceful Assembly ; and the Ontario Human rights Commission. The site is illustrated with scanned images of archival documents and in some cases provides the full-texts of relevant legal documents. There is also a good links list. The exhibition should prove interesting to teachers, students and the general public. It will also serve as an excellent starting point for researchers in Canadian History, as well as Legal and Civil rights History.
Black history in Ontario : the end of slavery Black History in Ontario is a virtual exhibition developed by the Archives of Ontario, Canada. The exhibit is based upon the Archive's Alvin D. McCurdy and Daniel Hill collections. This excellent exhibit displays scanned images of documents such as family photographs; photographs from local gatherings; letters; emancipation papers; newspaper clippings; and excerpts from community records together with explanatory text. Implicit within the content are the social reverberations of American slavery within the neighbouring British colony, and the dramatically different world the latter offered to fleeing slaves who became Black Loyalists and settlers. The site highlights: emancipation; the anti-slavery movement; migration and settlement; Black life in Ontario; education and religion; human rights including the 1944 Racial Discrimination Act; and details of further research resources for Black History at the Ontario Archives.
The mission of the Human Rights Program within the Canadian Heritage, Government of Canada is to promote the development, understanding, respect for and enjoyment of human rights in Canada.
To accomplish this, the program undertakes educational and promotional activities involving the public, educators, non-governmental organizations, government departments and others. This includes providing a selected number of grants and contributions to eligible organizations and distributing human rights publications upon request.
The program is also responsible for coordinating, with provincial and territorial governments, the domestic implementation of international human rights instruments and the preparation of Canada's reports to the United Nations.
Human Rights Organizations: Canadian and Global
BRITISH COLUMBIA
B.C. Civil Liberties Association
Deals with issues of civil liberties.
B.C. Human Rights Coalition
Provides information on the Coalition's activities and access to its publications.
Ministry of the Attorney General - Human Rights Protection
Information on human rights legislation.
B.C. Human Rights Tribunal
Provides information on the Tribunal's activities and access to decisions rendered by the Tribunal since 1997.
British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Non-profit
society that advances the interests of groups that are generally
unrepresented or underrepresented in issues of major public concern.
CANADA
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Provides
information about the Commission, news releases, publications,
legislation and policies, major human rights issues. Useful human
rights links, including those to provincial human rights commissions.
Canadian Human Rights Foundation
Non-governmental organization (NGO), that provides information on its programs, publications and various activities.
Canadian Human Rights Tribunal
Access to decisions rendered by the Tribunal since 1979.
Canadian Race Relations Foundation
Provides information on their programs, publications and various activities.
League for Human Rights of B'nai Brith Canada
Information on the League, their reports and programs.
Human Rights Resources ; Access to Justice Network (ACJNet)
Includes extensive links to Canadian legal and justice materials, as well as an online library of articles on social justice and human rights issues.
Canadian Human Rights Reporter
Publishes materials on Canadian human rights law.
DIANA: an International Human Rights Database
At present there
are three DIANA sites. Each site reflects a different approach to the
task of making human rights resources available on the web.
- Bora Laskin Law Library, University of Toronto - DIANA Project
Primary focus is women's human rights. - The University of Minnesota Human Rights Library - DIANA Project
Site provides an excellent general overview of human rights documentation. - Yale Law School Library - DIANA Project
Houses a unique collection of litigation documents used in various human rights related cases.
Human Rights Internet
Canadian-based
website; features human rights education resources, human rights
alerts, publications and articles and world calendar, international
snapshot of human rights events each month.
International Criminal Court
Provides information on the criminal court.
Rights & Democracy (International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development)
This
Canadian institution with an international mandate, initiates,
encourages and supports the promotion, development and strengthening of
democratic and human rights institutions and programs as defined in the
International Bill of Human Rights. Lists links to other human rights
organizations, publications of the centre, and activities and programs
of the centre.
University of Ottawa - Human Rights Research and Education Centre
Provides very comprehensive resources on Canadian and international human rights.
WORLD
Amnesty International
International human rights watchdog.
Amnesty International Canada
Canadian wing of Amnesty International.
Anti-Slavery International
Human rights organization working against slavery and related abuses.
European Court of Human Rights
Access to decisions rendered by the court.
Free the Slaves
Non-profit organization working to end slavery worldwide.
Human Rights Watch
International
human rights watchdog. Publishes over 100 reports annually on human
rights violations worldwide. Publications often appear in the name of
one of Human Rights Watch's regional divisions: Africa Watch, Americas
Watch, Asia Watch, Helsinki Watch, and Middle East Watch.
International Service for Human Rights
Accesses
the Human Rights Monitor on-line, as well as other information on
meetings and events within the UN human rights system. Useful links and
contact details.
United Nations - Human Rights
Reports on U.N. human rights bodies, treaties, conventions and agreements.
United Nations - Humanitarian Affairs
Contains
refugee and nationality legislation from over one hundred countries,
plus information on humanitarian relief and landmines.
United Nations Association in Canada
Lists
the full-text of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Has a
useful "Action Guide" with section on human rights questions and
answers and links to other human rights resources and human rights
commissions.
World Peace Society
Promotes
worldwide peace and understanding. Includes petitions, posters, message
board and events for peace around the world. Also includes a separate
section for school involvement and projects.
