Yellowknife (Dec 10/04) - The NWT Human Rights Commission may only be six months old, but it has already fielded 23 complaints.

Today is International Human Rights Day and the commission is holding an open house to mark the occasion.

Therese Boullard is director of the NWT Human Rights Commission, which is holding an open house today to mark International Human Rights Day. - Alex Glancy/NNSL photo

"It's symbolic for a couple of reasons," said commission director Therese Boullard. "It's kind of our Yellowknife launch, and it draws attention to International Human Rights Day."

The open house will be held between 3 and 6 p.m. at the commission offices in the Arthur Laing building.

Since its formation when new human rights legislation came into effect in July, the NWT commission has received 23 complaints: 17 new matters and six that were passed on after the Fair Practices Act folded.

By way of comparison, Boullard pointed out that last year the Yukon commission received roughly 20 complaints.

The commission deals with complaints on employment, tenancy and service practices: 19 of its current files are on employment questions, and four on services. Staff also do educational and promotional work.

By a process of complaint, voluntary mediation, investigation and hearings, the commission seeks to rectify the issues before it. There is no fee to file a complaint.

"Everyone who does business in the NWT is affected by (human rights legislation)," said Boullard, who's been in the field for 12 years.

"Employers are usually very open and co-operative." But it isn't all smooth sailing. In all jurisdictions but the NWT, human rights commissions are tied to government ministries or ministers, which can make it difficult to investigate claims against the government. In B.C., said Boullard, the commission was attached to the attorney general's office, and was folded completely by the provincial Liberal government.

Funded by the Legislative Assembly

In Alberta, she added, the government prevented the commission from investigating a complaint, and only a Supreme Court ruling saw it through.

In the NWT, however, the commission is appointed and funded by the Legislative Assembly, and isn't affiliated with any ministry.

"In terms of rights and protections, (the NWT's Human Rights Act) is the most comprehensive, and we have the most independent commission in the country," said Boullard.