Alberta Human Rights Commission

SECTION 11.1 OF THE ALBERTA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CAME INTO EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2010
(September 1, 2010)
Section 11.1 of the Alberta Human Rights Act came into effect on
September 1, 2010. This section of the act requires school boards to provide notice to parents or guardians of students in certain teaching situations involving subject matter that deals primarily and explicitly with religion, human sexuality or sexual orientation. On written request from a parent or guardian, a teacher is required to exclude a student without academic penalty from a teaching situation that deals primarily and explicitly with these subject matters. Section 11.1 does not apply to teaching situations that involve only incidental or indirect references to religion, human sexuality or sexual orientation.

You can read more about this and other amendments to Alberta’s human rights legislation in the Commission publications Amendments to Alberta’s human rights legislation and Notice of changes to Alberta’s human rights legislation.

If you have questions about section 11.1, please call the Commission’s Calgary office at 403-297-6571. You can call toll-free from Alberta locations outside Calgary by first dialing 310-0000. To access TTY service for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, please call 1-800-232-7215.

READ THE CURRENT ISSUE OF THE COMMISSION NEWSLETTER
(August 24, 2010)

RECENT TRIBUNAL DECISIONS
(August 19, 2010)
The Commission has recently posted the following tribunal decisions, including a preliminary matters decision on a severance agreement, on the website:

Ian Phillips v. Canyon Creek Heights Condominium Board of Directors (July 22, 2010; Delano Tolley, Tribunal Chair)

John McNamara v. Lockerbie & Hole Inc. and Syncrude Canada Ltd. (July 22, 2010; Delano Tolley, Tribunal Chair)

Charles Bley v. Syncrude Canada Ltd. (July 21, 2010; Beth Bryant, Tribunal Chair)

Cam Stilwell v. Edmonton Exchanger & Manufacturing Ltd. and Edmonton Exchanger & Refinery Services Ltd. and Syncrude Canada Ltd. (July 21, 2010; Beth Bryant, Tribunal Chair)

Dale Ofstedahl v. Comstock Canada Ltd. and Syncrude Canada Ltd. (July 21, 2010; Beth Bryant, Tribunal Chair)

Wade Bastien v. Bouvry Exports Calgary Limited (July 13, 2010; Delano Tolley, Tribunal Chair)

Jenny Redshaw v. CCI Thermal Technologies Inc. (June 30, 2010; Brenda Scragg, Tribunal Chair)

UPDATES TO COMMISSION WEBSITE
(June 8, 2010)
The Commission continues to update its website and all of its publications to reflect recent amendments to Alberta's human rights legislation. If there is a revised or reviewed date at the bottom of a website page, this indicates the webpage is current and reflects the recent amendments to the legislation. The following Commission website sections have recently been updated:

If you would like to be notified when website sections and publications are updated, you can subscribe to Alberta Human Rights Information Service (AHRIS), the Commission’s free online newsletter. To subscribe, please send an e-mail titled “AHRIS subscription” to educationcommunityservices@gov.ab.ca and include your e-mail address in the message.

DID YOU KNOW?
(April 22, 2010)

The Alberta Human Rights Commission engages in a wide range of partnership initiatives to fulfill its mandate of fostering equality and reducing discrimination. Working in local, provincial and national partnerships is central to the Commission’s public education and prevention mandate. Here are a few examples of partnership initiatives:

  • The Commission shares the goal of protecting human rights and promoting fairness and access with the Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund (HREMF), which provides financial assistance to various organizations as well as to the Commission for its educational programs. Read about recent projects the HREMF has funded.

  • The Commission partners with the Alberta Chambers of Commerce to offer the Alberta Human Rights Commission Diversity Leadership Award of Distinction as part of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce Alberta Business Awards of Distinction. The award recognizes organizations that embrace diversity in their workforce and encourage respect and inclusion. Read more about the award and read about the 2010 recipient of the Diversity Leadership Award.

  • The Commission supports the Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination (CMARD), a UNESCO-led initiative calling on municipalities from across Canada to be part of a larger international coalition of cities to combat racism. There are now 35 members of CMARD, including nine members from Alberta. Read more about CMARD, and see the current list of signatory members of CMARD. 

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    ABOUT THE COMMISSION
    The Alberta Human Rights Commission is an independent commission of the Government of Alberta reporting through the Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit. Our mandate is to foster equality and reduce discrimination. We provide public information and education programs, and help Albertans resolve human rights complaints.

    The Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund has provided funding for this website.

    Revised: September 1, 2010

     

    Due to confidentiality concerns, the Commission cannot reply
    to complaints of discrimination using the Internet.

    Please contact the Commission by telephone or regular mail
    if you have a specific complaint.

    The Commission will make publications available in accessible multiple formats upon request. Multiple formats provide access for people with disabilities who do not read conventional print.

    Education Fund