OTTAWA, June 11, 2024 – In a groundbreaking decision, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) has initiated a “Special Review” of Canada’s “A” status accreditation, putting it in the same category as countries like Russia, Iraq, and Venezuela. This move follows a complaint by a coalition of Canadian human rights organizations, citing federal findings of anti-Black discrimination at the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC).
Nicholas Marcus Thompson of the Black Class Action Secretariat emphasized, “Successive Justice Ministers have been aware of discrimination but have yet to make any meaningful reform. Unfortunately, we have had to resort to escalating our concerns to an international body to hold the commission accountable for years of human rights violations.”
If downgraded to “B” status, the CHRC will lose its independent participation rights at the UN Human Rights Council and its ability to vote and hold governance positions at GANHRI, seriously impacting Canada’s standing as a global human rights leader.
“The implications of this decision are very serious for Canada,” warned Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General for Amnesty International Canada. “It risks irreparably tarnishing its standing as a global human rights leader.”
The coalition calls for immediate action, including creating a direct-access model to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, recognizing Black Canadians in the Employment Equity Act, and appointing a Black Equity Commissioner to oversee equity in government and public service.
The review will examine the CHRC’s performance from 2016 to 2022, with a decision expected in the ensuing months.