Oral Submission to the Standing Committee on Human Rights, Senate of Canada - Study of Anti-Black Racism, Sexism, and Systemic Discrimination at

I join you virtually today from the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Huron-Wendat and Petun Nations and the current treaty holders the Mississaugas of the Credit. [...] The Important Function of National Human Rights Institutions We urge Members of the Committee to use this opportunity as a catalyst for driving meaningful and effective changes to enhance the federal human rights system to meet the needs of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities in Canada. [...] CCLA was a key player among civil society organizations that advocated for the creation of the Commission, as well as the Ontario Human Rights Commission in the 1970s. [...] Take concrete measures to representatively staff the federal human rights systems with candidates who demonstrate experiences with anti-racism practices The composition of decision makers, leadership, and other staff at federal human rights institutions should reflect and represent the lived realities, experiences, and perspectives of Indigenous, Black, and racialized people in Canada. [...] We look forward to the concrete recommendations from this Senate study to strengthen the human rights framework and ensure there are strong, adequately resourced, and representative national human rights mechanisms to promote and protect the human rights of all of us in Canada -- especially the Black community, and other marginalized and vulnerable communities.