Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Government of Nova Scotia |
| Headquarters | Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia |
| Employees | 23.0 FTE (2009–2010) |
| Annual budget | CAD$2.1 million (2009–2010) |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executives |
|
| Parent department | Independent agency within the Department of Justice |
| Website | humanrights |
The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission (the “Commission”) was established in Nova Scotia, Canada in 1967 to administer the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act. The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission is the first commission in Canada to engage a restorative dispute resolution process.
The Commission is an arm's-length independent agency of government accountable to the Nova Scotia Department of Justice for budgetary issues. The Commission's mandate under the Act includes: helping people prevent discrimination through public education and public policy, and effecting resolution in situations where a complaint of discriminatory behaviour has been initiated.
The Commission offers assistance to those trying to prevent discrimination on the basis of aboriginal origin, age, color, creed, disability (physical and mental and perception of it), ethnic origin, family status (parent-child relationship), fear of contracting an illness, gender expression,harassment based on other protected characteristics, national origin, marital status,sex (including pregnancy), sexual identity, sexual harassment, political belief, race, religion, source of income. It is also a violation to retaliate against someone who files a complaint or expresses an intention to complain or to retaliate against someone who assists in making a complaint.
In the early sixties direct involvement of premier Robert Stanfield along with William Pearly Oliver were instrumental in laying the foundation in Nova Scotia for the establishment of the Commission. Originally the mandate of the Commission was primarily to address the plight of Black Nova Scotians.
In 1940, Dr. William Oliver volunteered for the Department of Education to improve the condition of ethnic minorities in Nova Scotia. After five years, he was hired on with the Department. The following year, 1946, the Viola Desmond case galvanized the civil rights movement in Nova Scotia. According to founding Commissioner Fred MacKinnon, Oliver spent these years, “organizing and promoting self-help in the black communities of the Province but, even more importantly, he did much to advance public support and understanding in and out of government in respect to the social and economic plight of Black Nova Scotians.”
...
Wikipedia