Human Rights Glossary

The Human Rights Glossary includes terminology related to human rights in the Canadian context. The glossary contains terms used by the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT). Created in 1977 by Parliament, this tribunal is the only entity that may legally decide whether a person or organization has engaged in a discriminatory practice under the Canadian Human Rights Act. An administrative tribunal specializing in the field of human rights, the CHRT is similar to a court of law, but is less formal. In 1996, the Tribunal’s responsibilities were expanded to include the adjudication of complaints under the Employment Equity Act. According to the Act, the CHRT also operates as the Employment Equity Review Tribunal.