Human Rights

Defining ‘urgent’ in the global pandemic

May 1st, 2020 by Karly Wilson

This article was first published on rabble.ca

Seven weeks ago, we rolled our eyes when an email was labelled “Urgent.” It felt like a term thrown around too often, and with little meaning or weight. Like new alerts popping up on cell phones, there didn’t seem to be enough discernment about what was and was not worthy of panic and alarm.

Now, everything is urgent. There is an urgent need for medical supplies, for funding, for mental health support, for employment insurance reform, for a vaccine, for a cure. This has created an awkward and noticeable push to fill needs that social justice advocates have always considered urgent, but are suddenly (urgently!) gaining widespread support.

Individuals with disabilities, long having been told that their needs are too big to accommodate, are watching mass support roll out to assist the workforce. Advocates for a universal basic income are watching as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is instituted in a matter of weeks. At our firm, a large part of our practice focuses on supporting affordable housing initiatives, and we too have watched as our city (Toronto) has suddenly been at the forefront of creating new housing solutions for individuals experiencing homelessness.

In short, we are seeing concerns long considered urgent to finally be met with a sense of … well … urgency. Continue reading “Defining ‘urgent’ in the global pandemic”

Human rights in the time of COVID‑19

April 9th, 2020 by Karly Wilson

On April 2, 2020, the Ontario Human Rights Commission issued a policy directive for government bodies to enact a “human‑rights based approach” to managing the COVID‑19 pandemic.

What is the Ontario Human Rights Commission?

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (the OHRC) is a government agency that was created by the Human Rights Code to promote and advance human rights in Ontario. They provide information and direction for service providers, government agencies, lawyers, and the like. At Iler Campbell, we frequently refer our clients to their public education materials and often use their website as a starting point when researching issues for our clients.

Part of OHRC’s role is to make recommendations during situations of tension or conflict, an apt description for daily life since the start of the global COVID‑19 pandemic. All levels of government have been scrambling to make the necessary policy shifts to keep residents as safe as possible. The provincial government has enacted a series of urgent emergency measures, many of which we have discussed previously on this blog. As decisions are being made at a break‑neck pace, the OHRC has issued its policy directive to ensure that already vulnerable groups are not forgotten, further marginalized, or exploited by government decisions. Continue reading “Human rights in the time of COVID‑19”

Housing in the time of COVID-19

March 27th, 2020 by Safia Lakhani

This article was first published on rabble.ca

The first cases of COVID-19 are suspected to have occurred in Wuhan, China late last year. A few short months later, it has had far reaching and devastating consequences for economies around the world. Along with the loss of regular social contact and increasing uncertainty in employment, some will be at risk of losing access to housing. While several international treaties recognize housing as a human right, few governments have enacted domestic laws that ensure access to adequate housing for all citizens. In the midst of this global pandemic, calls for social distancing and sheltering in place are meaningless without access to shelter. Continue reading “Housing in the time of COVID-19”

Video: Human Rights & Housing in – An Overview

February 24th, 2020 by Iler Campbell

Video of Celia Chandler’s workshop, Human Rights & Housing in – An Overview, is now online!

If you like, you can also download a copy of the slides here.

At Iler Campbell LLP, we are regularly asked to provide advice on a wide range of human rights and housing issues including: dogs in pet‑free co‑ops; whether a medical note provides enough detail; and if behaviour can justify eviction if it relates to a mental health disability.

In this webinar, Celia Chandler gives an overview of how the Ontario Human Rights Code applies in housing. The goal for the session – to give you better tools to know whether you’ve got an issue that’s worth a call to your lawyer.

Free Legal Workshop – Human Rights & Housing: An Overview

February 5th, 2020 by Iler Campbell

At Iler Campbell LLP, we are regularly asked to provide advice on a wide range of human rights and housing issues including: dogs in pet‑free co‑ops; whether a medical note provides enough detail; and if behaviour can justify eviction if it relates to a mental health disability.

Join Celia Chandler on Feburary 19th at noon for this free one hour webinar where she will give an overview of how the Ontario Human Rights Code applies in housing. The goal for the session – to give you better tools to know whether you’ve got an issue that’s worth a call to your lawyer. Continue reading “Free Legal Workshop – Human Rights & Housing: An Overview”

Legal cannabis enters into debate about where Canadians can smoke

December 21st, 2019 by Celia Chandler

This article was first published on rabble.ca

Most people recognize that people have a right to live their lives so long as they don’t negatively affect their neighbours. But let’s face it — many things that people do have the potential to bug others: too loud music, intense cooking smells, children running around, dogs pooping in the wrong place, too many visitors, too much loud arguing, the list goes on.

Nothing, however, has the potential to irritate neighbours quite as much as cigarette and cannabis smoke. At least that’s our recent observation from our work helping housing providers deal with behaviours that don’t conform to providers’ standards. Add the fact that many people have medical conditions that are worsened by smoke and you’ve got a recipe for neighbourhood conflict.

Continue reading “Legal cannabis enters into debate about where Canadians can smoke”