Appendix I: What can you do if you think you’ve experienced discrimination?
1. Prioritize your safety
If you find yourself in a situation in which you believe you are experiencing discrimination, take precautions to protect your own safety. This may include removing yourself from the situation and contacting a local Indigenous organization for support (e.g., Friendship Centre). Once you are safe, you may wish to record the details of the incident in the format that best suits your needs (e.g., writing, audio).
2. Contact the Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC)
The HRLSC is working to help people assert and protect their rights by providing advice through telephone inquiries, assisting individuals to file human rights applications, and by representing applicants at mediations and hearings at the HRTO.
If you think you have experienced discrimination, you can start by using this HRLSC online tool to help determine whether you have experienced discrimination under the Code: https://hrlsc.on.ca/have-you-experienced-discrimination.
Additionally, you can contact the HRLSC or find more information about their services at:
- Toll Free: 1-866-625-5179
- TTY Toll Free: please dial 711
- Website: www.hrlsc.on.ca
The HRLSC provides culturally appropriate services for persons who self-identify as Indigenous through an Indigenous Services team that can offer services in Cree, Oji-Cree, Mohawk, and Ojibway. They can be reached by pressing 4 when calling their intake line at the above-noted number. You can also find more information about the HRLSC’s Indigenous Services team, including a brochure, here: https://hrlsc.on.ca/indigenous-services.
3. Assert your rights under the Code
If you think you have experienced discrimination, you can file an application directly with the HRTO here: https://tribunalsontario.ca/hrto/forms-filing
Additionally, you can contact the HRTO or find more information about their services at:
- Toll Free: 1-866-598-0322
- TTY Toll Free: 1-800-855-0511
- Website: www.hrto.ca
- ndigenous services: https://tribunalsontario.ca/en/indigenous-services
4. Find more information
To learn more about your rights under the Code, you can:
- Read OHRC policies, guidelines, brochures, and other resources related to Indigenous peoples and human rights here: https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/key-priorities/indigenous-reconciliation
- Read the HRLSC’s how-to guides here: https://hrlsc.on.ca/how-to-guides
- Find answers to frequently asked questions about the Code here: https://hrlsc.on.ca/faq
- Watch this video by the HRLSC and OFIFC, entitled “Defending your human rights in Ontario – what you need to know.”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4JD7b7Uce0
- Find information about the Indigenous Human Rights Program offered jointly by PBSC and OFIFC here: https://www.probonostudents.ca/indigenous-peoples