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Appendix B: Glossary

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Anti-racism: A commitment and planned ongoing process to eliminate racism and racial discrimination in its various forms (individual, institutional and systemic). The first step in anti-racism is admitting that racism exists in individuals, organizations and society as a whole and acknowledging the need for active ongoing measures to counter it.


Cultural competence: The behaviours, attitudes and policies that enable organizations and professionals to work effectively in situations that involve or affect a range of cultures.


Diversity: Diversity is the presence, in an organization or a community, of a wide range of people with different backgrounds, abilities and attributes including ethnicity, race, colour, religion, age, gender and sexual orientation.


Duty to accommodate: Duty to accommodate is a legal obligation under the Ontario Human Rights Code. It requires employers, service providers, housing providers, unions and contractors to enable people to benefit from and take part equally, in workplaces, housing, services and other areas.


Equality and equity: Equality generally means treating people the same way, to give everyone equal access to opportunities and benefits in society. Equity includes treating some people differently, to take into consideration some people’s particular needs and situations. For example, requiring public buildings to have wheelchair accessible entrances to accommodate persons with disabilities (rather than deciding that everyone can climb stairs or open doors themselves).


Harassment: Unwelcome and inappropriate behaviour (e.g. unwelcome attention, remarks, jokes, threats, name-calling, touching or other behaviour, including the display of pictures) that insults, offends or demeans someone because of their belonging to a Code-protected group.


Human rights organizational change
Changing an organization into a more inclusive organization that respects and accommodates the dignity, worth and human rights of all people.


Inclusive design: Taking into account differences among individuals and groups when designing something (e.g. policy, program, curriculum, building, shared space) to avoid creating barriers.


Poisoned environment: Insulting or degrading comments or actions in a workplace based on Code grounds that cause employees to feel that the workplace is hostile or unwelcoming. Even one comment,
if serious enough, may create a poisoned environment.


Racial profiling: Any action that relies on stereotypes about race, colour, ethnicity, ancestry, religion or place of origin rather than on reasonable suspicion, and that singles out a person for more scrutiny or different treatment.


Undue hardship: Under the Code and Ontario Human Rights Commission policy, an employer or service provider needs to prove undue hardship based on three factors: cost; outside sources of funding, if any; and health and safety requirements, if any. This is a very high standard. For example, saying “that cost is not in the budget” would not meet the standard.

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