Manitoba

Manitoba has a Human Rights Code and the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, of which decisions can be found here.

Grounds of Discrimination Recognized: ancestry, including colour and perceived race, nationality or national origin, ethnic background or origin, religion or creed, or religious belief, religious association or religious activity, age, sex, including sex-determined characteristics or circumstances, such as pregnancy, the possibility of pregnancy, or circumstances related to pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital or family status, source of income, political belief, political association or political activity, physical or mental disability or related characteristics or circumstances, including reliance on a service animal, a wheelchair, or any other remedial appliance or device, social disadvantage.

Areas of Application: Publicly Offered Services, Employment, Advertising, Pre-Employment Inquiries, Employee Benefits, Wages, Rental of Premises (tenancy), Contracts, Purchase of Real Property, Harassment, and Reprisals.

Procedure: Once a complaint is filed, if the Commission accepts it, the respondent will have an opportunity to file a formal response to the complaint. The Commission is required to investigate every complaint “to the extent sufficient for properly disposing of it” in order to determine how much to investigate in each set of circumstances and whether the matter should proceed to a human rights panel or be dismissed.

If the Board of Commissioners decides that there is sufficient evidence to support that the Human Rights Code has been contravened; it will request that a member of the Human Rights Adjudication Panel make a final decision about the complaint at a public adjudication hearing, although the Commission does recommend voluntary mediation.

How to Begin a Complaint: The Commission does not make their human rights complaint form available online.  The Commission provides specifically assigned intake officers to assist with drafting a complaint and ensure that it contains the proper foundation needed to investigate a complaint.

Limitation Periods: Every complaint shall be filed within one year of the alleged contravention of the Code or, where a continuing contravention is alleged, within one year of the last alleged instance of the contravention.

Remedies: The adjudicator may order that an individual(s) refrain from doing something in order to secure compliance with this Code, to rectify any circumstance caused by the contravention, or to make just amends for the contravention. The adjudicator may also compensate adversely affected parties for financial losses sustained, damages for injury to dignity, feelings, or self-respect, and award exemplary damages.

This content has been updated on 23 February 2023 at 11 h 28 min.