Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 19/05) - The NWT Human Right Commission received 47 complaints of discrimination in its first 13 months of operation -- about double what was anticipated.

Therese Boullard, the commission's director, said the number was a surprise. "We were not expecting that number of complaints in the first year."

Human rights officer Isabel Gauthier, left, met the public at a NWT Human Rights Commission booth during the recent Great Northwest Trade Show in Hay River. Gauthier discusses the NWT's Human Rights Act with Hay River resident Sheila Hachey-Ryan. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

The commission expected 20-25 complaints, which would be comparable to Yukon, she said.

Race and disability together accounted for almost half the complaints.Yellowknife originated 35 complaints. The rest came from Hay River, Fort Resolution, Fort Smith, Holman and Inuvik.

Boullard says there is no surprise about the type of complaints. "It's very consistent with the rest of Canada."

Boullard believes the high number is the result of the commission's extensive public education process. "I think it's a sign that the outreach effort is working."

Of the 47 complaints, 32 are still active, while 15 have been closed. Thirteen of the closed cases covered employment, while two covered public services.

If an investigation determines there is enough evidence to go to a hearing, it would be conducted by a three-member independent Human Rights Adjudication Panel.

"We haven't had a hearing so far," Boullard said.

Boullard expects the first hearing could be held by December. The panel's decisions will be made public.

She hopes the number of complaints will decrease as employers, landlords and others become more aware of the NWT Human Rights Act.

"The goal of human rights officials is to work ourselves out of a job," Boullard says.

A report on the commission's first nine months of operation will be presented to the territorial legislature in October.

Incidents of discrimination

In its first 13 months of operation to the end of July, the NWT Human Rights Commission received 47 complaints based on the following grounds:

(Some complaints allege more than one incident of discrimination, meaning the total is higher than the number of complaints.)

Active cases:

Disability - 12; Race/ancestry - 11; Family status - 6; Sex - 6; Age - 4; Colour - 2; Ethnic origin - 2; Social condition - 2; Marital status - 1; Place of origin - 1; Nationality - 1; Family affiliation - 1; Pardoned criminal conviction - 1

Closed cases (dismissed without investigation, settled, dismissed after investigation, withdrawn or not pursued by complainant):

Race/ancestry - 5; Sex - 4; Disability - 3; Family status - 2; Religion - 1; Place of residence - 1