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OHRC letter and submission on Canada's report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

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August 12, 2022

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Hon. Pablo Rodriguez  
Minister of Canadian Heritage  
15 Eddy Street, 12th Floor  
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M5

Dear Minister:

Re: Submission on Canada's combined 24th and 25th periodic report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) is pleased to provide you with the attached submission in response to Canadian Heritage’s request for the views of human rights commissions to inform the Government of Canada as it prepares Canada's combined 24th and 25th periodic report to the United Nations on its implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The OHRC’s submission focuses on the four areas for addressing discrimination identified in our 2017–22 Strategic Plan: reconciliation with Indigenous communities, the criminal justice system, poverty and the education system. Our submission also focuses on COVID-19 and the pandemic of racism, particularly against Indigenous peoples, Black, Asian and religious communities.

The OHRC has prepared its submission having regard for the Concluding Observations issued by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at Canada’s last appearance in 2017. The OHRC has copied this comment to the Committee in keeping with the UN Human Rights Council Resolution A/HRC/RES/27/18 encouraging human rights commissions to provide parallel reports and other information to treaty bodies.

We welcome further opportunity to discuss our comments.

Sincerely,

Patricia DeGuire  
Chief Commissioner  
Ontario Human Rights Commission
 

cc:   Maria-Fernanda Maxil-Platas, Senior Policy and Reports Officer, Canadian Heritage  
       Marie-Claude Landry, Ad. E., Chief Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission  
       UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination  
       Hon. Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario  
       OHRC Commissioners