Ontario Human Rights Commission celebrates Its 65th year

Ontario Human Rights Commission celebrates 65 years this year. The OHRC was established on March 29^th, 1961, and is the first of its kind in Canada. This milestone leads into the 65^th anniversary of the Ontario Human Rights Code, which was enacted on June 15^th, 1962. All this comes at a time when questions about rights, equality, accountability, and belonging are at the top of the list for many Ontarians.

OHRC sees this as a golden opportunity to review how human rights have evolved, what has been achieved, and what can be done to elevate the standard of human rights in Ontario.

The OHRC’s celebrations include several initiatives which reflect the legacy and future of human rights in Ontario, including:

• Launching a province-wide school tour to inspire students, educators, and administrators to learn about their rights, respect the rights of others, promoting a commitment to human rights in Ontario through education and engagement.
• Launching a new podcast series to explore the issues, stories, and movements that shape human rights in Ontario.
• Launching nominations for the 2026 Daniel G. Hill Human Rights Awards, which recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to advancing, promoting, and fostering human rights culture in Ontario.

With things in high gear, I had the pleasure of speaking with Patricia DeGuire, Chief Commissioner of the OHRC, about the Commission’s 65^th year and how things are progressing.

I asked DeGuire what this milestone means for her and Canada in general. She answered, “As you know, the Ontario Human Rights Commission is the first of its kind in Canada, and so we are very elated. It was not just the first of its kind, but it has also continued to be a leader in human rights spaces in Ontario, in Canada, and it seems to be a leader in the world as well.”

“These are good times, and these are bad times. I say good times because we still have the privilege and benefits of enjoying rights, and these rights are the foundation of Canadian values, with people gravitating to Canada to experience and enjoy.”

“It is a bad time because today the world is so ripe with hate, and so we have to come up with creative ways to encourage individuals to acknowledge their right, appreciate their right, and know that they are responsible for ensuring that those rights are sustained towards upholding Canadian values.”

We touched on the human rights code and the question of equity as well. “The code aims to be very inclusive, and I mean exactly that, including everyone who lives in Ontario. It does not matter whether you are: a citizen, a permanent resident, a refugee, or a visitor; the aim of the code is to be inclusive, and that is why substantive inclusiveness is at its foundation.”

“It is also one about upholding the dignity and worth of everyone, regardless of who you are, and we try to achieve that by focusing on work that includes the 17 grounds listed in the code in five service areas. It is not a philosophy, or a policy; it is a significant desire.” 

DeGuire told me it is not about gender, race, sexual orientation, creed, or where you came from. “We look at that person, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” she said. “We look at that person, and we ask ourselves how we can carry out our mandate as stated in the code.”

“It is important to note that the OHRC mandate is to promote, protect, and advance human rights. This is done through creating policies, strategic delegation, and education. This a big one, both the noun education and the verb educating people about rights and the code.”

“Our focus,” she said, “Is to root out systemic discrimination as much as we can, which has been around for centuries. Therefore, it is intractable, so we have to use different ways that reflect the legacy of human rights in Ontario.”

DeGuire explained that the OHRC sets the trend for most of Canada in the human rights department. “We also intervened in cases,” she said, “A matter that could be before the courts. We look at the issue and find out whether it would be in public interest to intervene in that case with the aim of rooting out systemic discrimination.”

“It’s not just litigation for the sake of litigation, and oftentimes when we intervene, that case sets legal precedent, and it is not just binding in Ontario; other provinces and territories would look to Ontario for that guidance.”

One of DeGuire’s big passions is education, “We are now focusing on education. We know that education is the most powerful tool for empowering someone. Preserving one’s dignity and helping one to understand their worth also helps them to contribute equally to the development of Ontario.” She tied the education of black youths with something she called “Black Joy.”

On the question of whether Canada is handling human rights correctly? DeGuire answered, “Canada needs to give human rights more priority. Even though people are so focused on human rights, I believe institutions and people do not pay enough attention to and take enough action on human rights.”

“If we do not uphold human rights in a stronger way and be more intentional about setting stronger guardrails regarding rights this season of hate, going through it could be much worse.”

Finally, I asked the Chief Commissioner of the OHRC for her views on the seven members of the TPF Toronto Police Force who are charged with numerous serious offences while being hired to serve and protect. Here is what she had to say.

“Your question is a complex one, and my approach to your question is not at all formative or performative, but I am going to answer you within the realms of the law because that is the only way I can. As a lawyer and as someone who served in the justice systems of Ontario, I must honour the sarcosome principle of being innocent before being found guilty.” 

“So, they have been charged and not convicted. With respect to the Toronto Police Services, it has an enormous responsibility to preserve peace. To protect the rights of individuals, it is the responsibility of the OHRC to ensure that, in the performance of its duties, they do not breach the code.”

DeGuire wants the public to understand that human rights are particularly important to their existence, life, and dignity, and it is not something that is just written in legislation. It is to be enjoyed and experienced, and they must also respect the rights of others.

For youths wanting to pursue the human rights legal profession, DeGuire had this advice. “Pursue it, not for the monetary value that it may or may not come from it. It is a very valuable aspect of life. It is about humans and surrounding yourself with mentors, coaches, and networking opportunities that would help to ground your purpose and your values.”