Human rights laws have been passed in Canada by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. they make is illegal for people to treat others unfairly.
150 years ago, women had few rights. Toward the end of 19th century, attitudes toward women changed. Small groups of women in Canada, U.S.A., and Europe joined together to fight for the right to vote.
World War I was a turning point for women's rights. While the men were fighting in Europe, thousands of Canadian women took up jobs on farms and in factories.
In 1921, the federal government passed a regulation preventing married women from holding jobs in the government unless they had no support from their husband's income.
The Bill of Rights stated that it was illegal to discriminate against people because of their race, gendr, religion, or colour. It also helped to pave the way for the Candian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In 1982 women and man became equal, and had equal rights and freedoms.
Pay equity - equal payment for work educated is equal in worth. Sexual hasrassment - unwelcome actions or conduct of a sexual nature toward another person.
Traditional attitudes are one reason for inequalities. In 1983, a civil servants' union complained that women were not being paid the same as men. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered the federal government to pay billions of dollars in back wages. Still, pay equity cases often involve a long legal struggle. Equity is still not guaranteed.
Employment equity - the equal treatment of all employees based on their abilities Barrier to equality - anything that prevents someone from participating fully and equally in society.
In 1995, the federal government passed the Employment Equity Act. Employment equity law requires employees to identify barriers to equality in the workplace.
Europeans began arriving in North America in the 1600s, and formed military alliences and partnerships with First Nations By confederation in 1871, European immigrants flooded the country. Between 1871 and 1921, the Canadian government concluded a series of land agreements with Aboriginal peoples.
In 1868 the federal government passed the Indian Act. It defined who was "Indian" and who was not. It banned some traditional cultural practices. It replaced traditional Aboriginal self-government with elected band councils, and rejected Aboriginal ways of justice.
1600s - Europeans begin conquest of North America 1756-1763 - Seven Years' War 1763 - Royal Proclamation of 1763 1869 - Canadian Confederation 1868 - Indian Act 1871-1921 - Treaties between Canadian government and First Nations 1960 - Aboriginal peoples in Canada received the right to vote
Since the 1950s, Aboriginal peoples have fought to reverse the policy of assimilation and be recognized as distinct nations within Canada. In 1951 Aboriginal leaders formed the Mative Indian Brotherhood to lobby the federal government on Aboriginal rights and to press for the settlememt of land claims.
Poverty is widespread and educational achievment is generally low. Aboriginals still face serious health and social problems. Most Canadians do not deny the serious nature of the problems. Most Aboriginal peoples feel they will gain their rightfull place in society once their rights as distinct peoples are recognized. Most Canadians want to see these issues resolved, but disagree on how to do so.
In 1971, Prime Minister Trudeau proclaimed "a policy of multiculturalism within a bilingual framework." This policy was supposed to help Canada's ethnic groups preserve their cultural legacy.
In the early 1880s, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) started building Canada's first national railroad. By 1885, the railroad was complete. The Chinese workers were no longer welcome in Canada. That year, Parliament imposed a $50 head tax on every Chinese person entering Canada. In 1903 the tax was increased to $500. In 1923 , the Canadian government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. Between 1931 and 1941, the Chinese population in Canada dropped by 10.000.
In 1908, Wilfrid Laurier's government introduced a regulation requiring all immigrants to travel to Canada by "direct continuous passage" from their country of origin. In 1910, the federal government passed a new Immigration Act that gave it sweeping powers to reject "immigrants belonging to any race deemed unsuitable to the requirements of Canada."
In 1917, the newly created Department for Immigration and Colonization created a list of "preferred" and "non-preferred" countries. Legal discrimination continued against Asian immigrants
During WW1, Ukrainian Canadians were brended as "enemy aliens." Many of Unrainian Canadians were interned under the War Measures Act of 1914. About 5000 Ukrainians were imprisoned under the act. Japanese Canadians were similarly targeted during WW2. After the war, many Japanese families has no homes or possessions. About 4300 individuals were deported to Japan.
In 1947, Prime Minister Mackenzie King Announced a new immigration policy. It was designed to attract new immigrants. King's new policy brought about a wave of immigrants from Europe. Starting in the 1960s Canada's immigration policy underwent a major change.
The Immigration Act also sets out who may not enter Canada:
1. Immigrant applicants who are suffering from illnesses that pose a public danger or may place an undue financial burden on health services 2. Persons who lack the funds to support themselves 3. Convicted criminals or those who pose a risk of commiting serious crimes 4. potential or known terrorists 5. persons who have been convinced of war crime
In the past homosexuality was a crime, and people who were homosexual would get punished. In 1861 the law changed. Today some nations still have harsh punishments. Until 1967, homosexuality was a crime in Canada and was dealt with in the Criminal Code.
Pierre Trudeau became the justice minister in 1967. He liberalized laws. He rewrote abortion and prostitution laws. He decriminalized homosexuality. In 1996, the federal government added "sexual oriantation" to the Canadian Human Rights Act . In 1997 the federal government offered same-sex benefits to its gay and lesbian employees.
The Supreme Court concluded that Ontario's Family Law Act was unconstitutional. The Ontario government changed dozens of laws, giving same-sex couples equal standing with heterosexual couples. The Civil Marriage Act legalized same-sex marriage in Canada on July 20, 2005.
Across Canada in the 1980s, there was a move to close institutions that housed people with disabilities and mental illnesses. The goal was to allow everyone in Canada to live with dignity in the community, with proper support.