Bill S-11

1st Session, 36th Parliament,

46 Elizabeth II, 1997

senate of canada

BILL S-11

An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act in order to add social condition as a prohibited ground of discrimination

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

1. Section 2 of the Canadian Human Rights Act is replaced by the following:

2. The purpose of this Act is to extend the laws in Canada to give effect, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, to the principle that every individual should have an equal opportunity with other individuals to make for himself or herself the life that he or she is able and wishes to have, consistent with his or her duties and obligations as a member of society, without being hindered in or prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, social condition, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted.

2. Subsection 3(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:

3. (1) For all purposes of this Act, race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, social condition, disability and conviction for which a pardon has been granted are prohibited grounds of discrimination.

3. Subsection 16(1) of the Act is replaced with the following:

16. (1) It is not a discriminatory practice for a person to adopt or carry out a special program, plan or arrangement designed to prevent disadvantages that are likely to be suffered by, or to eliminate or reduce disadvantages that are suffered by, any group of individuals when those disadvantages would be or are based on or related to the race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, marital status, family status, social condition or disability of members of that group, by improving opportunities respecting goods, services, facilities, accommodation or employment in relation to that group.