NOVA SCOTIA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. Annual Accountability Report For the Fiscal Year

Transcription

1 NOVA SCOTIA HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Annual Accuntability Reprt Fr the Fiscal Year

2 Cntents Accuntability Statement... 3 Message frm the Directr and CEO... 4 Financial Results... 5 Measuring Our Perfrmance... 5 Gvernment Pririties... 5 Cmmissin s link t Gvernment s Pririty: Peple Pririties f the Cmmissin... 7 # # # Appendix A

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5 Financial Results Nva Sctia Human Rights Cmmissin Estimate Actual Variance Prgrams & Services ($ thusands) ($ thusands) ($ thusands) Administratin (103) Supprt Services 1,643 1,614 (29) Ttal Expenses 2,532 2,400 (132) Funded Staff (FTEs) (1.5) Measuring Our Perfrmance Gvernment Pririties In , the Gvernment f Nva Sctia had three verarching gals: Peple, Innvatin, and Educatin. The Cmmissin, an independent agency f gvernment, aligned its pririties with thse f gvernment, in particular the first pririty: Peple. Cmmissin s link t Gvernment s Pririty: Peple Thrughut , the Cmmissin helped Nva Sctians reslve disputes invlving discriminatin and harassment, and prvided educatin and training t cmmunity members, rganizatins, and emplyers thrughut the prvince. The Cmmissin remained cmmitted t creating a just and inclusive Nva Sctia. Outcme: Nva Sctia s ppulatin is grwing, prductive and thriving. Gals: 1. Enhance wrkfrce participatin f yuth, lder wrkers and marginalized cmmunities. Actins: 2. Imprve cmmunities and scial well-being. The Cmmissin cntinued its utreach with Nva Sctian cmmunities that histrically faced discriminatin thrugh its Cmmunity Cnversatins initiative. This initiative prvided an pprtunity t meet with Nva Sctians wh experienced discriminatin in their cmmunities and engaged with them in cnversatins abut the issues at the rt f thse experiences. This first Cmmunity Cnversatin tk place in the Prestn cmmunities and identified pprtunities t imprve human rights and t mbilize effrts t bring abut psitive change. 5

6 The 2016 Nva Sctian Human Rights Awards were presented n Internatinal Human Rights Day at the Halifax Central Library. Awards were presented t deserving individuals and rganizatins in recgnitin f their imprtant cntributins t the cmmunity in the field f human rights. The develpment f a database cntaining an anntated bibligraphy f research n human rights prtected characteristics was deferred t as this initiative requires significant funding and staff resurces t cmplete. Accessible educatin sessins n human rights and prmting a mre just and inclusive Nva Sctia were held fr members f the public thrughut Perfrmance Measures: Increase in the number f human rights training sessins being requested and delivered t emplyers. The number f human rights training sessins requested by and delivered t Nva Sctian emplyers have mre than dubled frm last fiscal year. In , a ttal f 12 training sessins were requested by varius emplyers, with a ttal f 172 emplyees participating. Last fiscal year saw fur (4) training sessins requested by emplyers, with a ttal 65 emplyees attending. Increase in the number f human rights cmplaints that are reslved thrugh dialgue and restrative appraches. During the fiscal year, 25 cmplaints were reslved using dialgue and restrative appraches. Twenty-fur (24) f these cmplaints were reslved by way f reslutin cnferences, with ne (1) being reslved thrugh a restrative bard f inquiry. The number f reslved cmplaints using dialgue and restrative appraches was up slightly frm last fiscal year. A Human Rights Cmmissin that is mre engaged, accessible and invlved in the cmmunity. The Cmmissin participated in and spnsred mre cmmunity events in than previus years. The Cmmissin was nt nly a spnsr f 2016 Pride, but Cmmissin staff marched in the Pride Parades in Halifax, Trur and Sydney. The Cmmissin spnsred and participated in the Kri Descendants Unin Internatinal Cnference held in Halifax in September In additin, the Cmmissin als prvided human rights infrmatin at varius cmmunity events thrughut Nva Sctia and increased its utreach effrts t include mre cmmunities utside the Halifax Reginal Municipality (HRM). 6

7 Pririties f the Cmmissin #1 Outcme: Gals: Actins: Cmmunities within Nva Sctia are mre inclusive Meaningfully engage, educate and supprt peple and cmmunities t raise awareness and address issues f systemic discriminatin Practive, strategic stakehlder engagement 1. The Cmmissin fcused effrts n increasing its engagement with practive, strategic stakehlders t strengthen current partnerships and create thers. The Cmmissin prvided financial and plicy supprt t the Bill 59 Alliance cmprised f members f the disability cmmunity t help develp rbust accessibility legislatin fr Nva Sctians. The Cmmissin als wrked in cllabratin with the Plice Bard f Cmmissiners and affected cmmunities t find a cnstructive way frward n the high-prfile issue f plice Street Checks. Strategic partnerships and cllabratin 2. The Cmmissin cntinued t wrk with its nging human rights partners and identified new strategic partnership pprtunities t advance its mandate. In March 2017, The Cmmissin launched an educatin campaign in cllabratin with the Nva Sctia business cmmunity t increase awareness and prevent cnsumer racial prfiling. In additin, a human rights-themed Yuth Art Cmpetitin was launched, with plans fr it t carry ver int the fiscal year t align with the Cmmissin s 50 th anniversary. All yuth art received by the Cmmissin was exhibited acrss the prvince. 3. The Cmmissin cntinued its rle as a key partner in the annual Sympsium fr Inclusive Educatin and Emplyment by prviding financial and lgistical supprt. 4. The Cmmissin s CEO cntinued t c-chair the Partners fr Human Rights cmmittee, which is made up f individuals, rganizatins and cmmunity grups dedicated t advancing human rights. Supprt fr Cmmissiners 5. Cmmissiner engagement and participatin was enhanced in Cmmissiners attended six (6) bi-mnthly meetings, tw (2) f which ccurred utside HRM, in Antignish and Trur. Cmmunity utreach events were incrprated int these meetings t enable Cmmissiners t meet with cmmunity members and stakehlders. Cmmunity Cnversatins Initiative 6. The Cmmunity Cnversatins initiative fcused n research, cmmunicatins and engagement activities within Nva Sctian cmmunities. This initiative was created ut f a case brught t the Cmmissin by the Halifax Assciatin f Black Firefighters and 7

8 was subsequently expanded t include African Nva Sctians, the immigrant cmmunity, First Natins and Indigenus cmmunities, the LGBTQI cmmunity, and peple with disabilities. The inaugural Cmmunity Cnversatins was held in the cmmunity f Nrth Prestn and led t identifying pprtunities t imprve human rights and mbilizing effrts t bring abut psitive change within the cmmunity. Perfrmance Measures: The membership f NSHRC will reflect the diversity f cmmunities thrughut Nva Sctia. In , the Cmmissin had a staff f 24, with ver half f its members reflecting the diversity f Nva Sctia s cmmunities. Cmmunity Cnversatins events will be held in up t five distinct cmmunities acrss Nva Sctia. #2 Outcme: This perfrmance measure was revised in early fiscal , fllwing the first Cmmunity Cnversatins prject, t cmplete at least ne event per fiscal year This first event required significant resurces and time t cmplete. It was determined that available funding and staffing resurces wuld be better utilized fr several smaller fcused cmmunity cnversatins t run cncurrently. The Cmmissin will revisit the Cmmunity Cnversatins events in the next fiscal year. The first Cmmunity Cnversatins prject, as utlined in the riginal initiative, was cmpleted and reprted n in early The Cmmissin als met with the UN Wrking Grup f Experts f Peple f African Descent in Octber 2017, and engaged in fllw-up discussins with cmmunity members and varius levels f gvernment n the issues f Street Checks and Land Titles Clarificatin. The Cmmissin als met regularly with members f the disability cmmunity during cnsultatins cncerning the Accessibility Act. NSHRC will be knwn prvincially as a leader and innvatr in the prtectin and prmtin f human rights Gal: NSHRC will demnstrate leadership in the prtectin f human rights thrugh innvatin and the use f best practices. Actins: Review and imprve internal prcesses 1. The Cmmissin cntinued refining its dispute reslutin prcesses, and identified and acted n efficiencies in its delivery f services. 2. The Cmmissin cntinued t mnitr prcessing times f cmplaints and bard f inquiry hearings t ensure they were reslved in a timely manner. There were sme 8

9 prtracted matters during that were the exceptin rather than the nrm. The Cmmissin will cntinue tracking dispute reslutin statistics n a bi-mnthly basis. Sharing best practices with partners and the lcal restrative learning cmmunity 3. The Cmmissin shared its best practices and knwledge with its stakehlders and human rights cunterparts lcally and natinally. Several natinal cnferences n restrative justice were held lcally and enabled the Cmmissin t actively participate. 4. The Cmmissin cntinued its membership with the Canadian Assciatin f Statutry Human Rights Assciatins (CASHRA) in Several staff members participated in varius wrking grups with their natinal human rights cunterparts, and the CEO and Chair attended the 2016 AGM, annual cnference and mid-year cnference. Reducing cnsumer racial prfiling 5. The Cmmissin cntinued its wrk n cnsumer equity, and advanced its effrts t prevent cnsumer racial prfiling thrugh educatin by peratinalizing the recmmendatins cntained in Wrking Tgether t Better Serve All Nva Sctians (the cnsumer racial prfiling research reprt). The Cmmissin develped an nline curse and educatin campaign t educate Nva Sctians n cnsumer racial prfiling. Evaluatin f Dispute Reslutin Practices 6. The evaluatin f the Cmmissin s dispute reslutin prcess was deferred t A prpsal t develp an academic partnership with Dalhusie University t carry ut an in-depth evaluatin f the restrative appraches t human rights dispute reslutin has been develped and will be implemented in the next fiscal year. Review the Human Rights Act 7. The Cmmissin cmpleted a review f the Human Rights Act in late Prpsed amendments t imprve the prcess f dispute reslutin and adjudicatin f cmplaints were drafted and will be presented t the Minister f Justice in Perfrmance Measures: NSHRC will cntinue t ensure that investigatins f cmplaints are cmpleted within ne year f referral. The Cmmissin cntinued its mnitring f investigatins f cmplaints. During , investigatins were cmpleted in 229 days frm the time f referral. This is number is dwn frm where it tk 249 days t cmplete an investigatin f a cmplaint frm the time f referral. The statistics are reviewed n a bi-mnthly basis. NSHRC will ffer up t fur free human rights educatin sessins thrughut the prvince in the fiscal year. 9

10 During , six (6) free human rights educatin sessins were ffered thrughut the prvince. This is a decrease frm the nine (9) free human rights educatin sessins that were ffered in The reductin in free human educatin sessins was a result f an increase in the number f requested and mandated human rights educatin sessins that the Cmmissin accmmdated. NSHRC will participate in a minimum f ten (10) wrkshps, presentatins and/r infrmatin sessins in the fiscal year. A ttal f 22 wrkshps, presentatins and infrmatin sessins, with 297 attendees, were held during the fiscal year. This represents a significant increase cmpared t the number f sessins ffered in , which resulted frm the increased number f requested and mandated human rights educatin sessins. #3 Outcme: Gals: NSHRC is a preferred place f emplyment within the netwrk f prvincial department and agencies. NSHRC is a respectful wrkplace that is dynamic, embraces differences and fsters cntinuus learning. Actins: Create and sustain a wrkplace f excellence 1. The Cmmissin cntinued t fcus n activities that enhanced verall rganizatinal develpment. All staff had learning plans and training budgets implemented t accmmdate mre training pprtunities and t allw staff t attend mre cnferences. Supprt fr staff 2. The Cmmissin invested in technlgy enhancements and imprvements t internal cmmunicatins. Eight (8) utdated cmputers were upgraded, five (5) Investigating HROs received Blackberries, and all staff members were prvided remte access capabilities. The intranet website was nt develped during this fiscal year, and will be reviewed in The Cmmissin reviewed its staff rientatin manual during , but did nt peratinalize it as there have been significant changes t r remval f practices since initially drafted. Operatinalizatin f this initiative was deferred t Cmmissin staff participated in regular learning pprtunities and infrmatin sharing sessins during Staff members were encuraged t enrll in curses ffered by the Public Service Cmmissin, as well as 3 rd party training prviders. Tw 10

11 Cmmissin staff members tk part in the Public Service Cmmissin s Leadership Develpment Prgram. 5. The Cmmissin created a wrkplace wellness cmmittee in Chaired by the CEO, with several staff members making up the cmmittee, the cmmittee rganized several events t prmte healthy living, such as FitBit challenges, healthy lunch challenges, and a team build day with Habitat fr Humanity. Learning rganizatin 6. The Cmmissin implemented an rganizatinal plan that demnstrated its cmmitment t cntinuus learning. Learning plans fr all staff were develped in , and included mental health first aid training, in-huse lunch & learn sessins, and attendance at human rights related cnferences. Perfrmance Measures: All management staff will cmplete Wrking Mind training prgram and all staff will be ffered pprtunity t attend sessin by March 31, Senir management cmpleted The Wrking Mind training prgram and three (3) staff members registered fr the prgram but will nt cmplete the curse until early in the next fiscal year. Increased emplyee engagement and satisfactin in Hw s Wrk Ging Survey. This perfrmance measure shuld refer the 2017 Hw s Wrk Ging Survey. This survey was ffered by the Public Service Cmmissin t all gvernment emplyees and was pen fr cmpletin frm May 11 t June 16, The results fr this survey are nt yet available. Increased understanding by all staff f the varius rles and respnsibilities within NSHRC. The Cmmissin held several in-huse lunch & learn sessins and quarterly staff meetings thrughut t achieve this measure. NSHRC will hld at least eight (8) mnthly training sessins fr staff n issues including human rights educatin, cmplaints adjudicatin, and healthy wrkplace practices. This perfrmance measure is incrrect as it shuld read NSHRC will hld at least eight (8) training sessins during the fiscal year fr staff n issues including human rights educatin, cmplaints adjudicatin, and healthy wrkplace practices. Five (5) sessins were cmpleted during the fiscal year and three (3) were rescheduled t due t scheduling cnflicts. 11

12 Appendix A Annual Reprt under Sectin 18 f the Public Interest Disclsure f Wrngding Act The Public Interest Disclsure f Wrngding Act was prclaimed int law n December 20, The Act prvides fr gvernment emplyees t be able t cme frward if they reasnably believe that a wrngding has been cmmitted r is abut t be cmmitted and they are acting in gd faith. The Act als prtects emplyees wh d disclse frm reprisals, by enabling them t lay a cmplaint f reprisal with the Labr Bard. A Wrngding fr the purpses f the Act is: a) a cntraventin f prvincial r federal laws r regulatins b) a misuse r grss mismanagement f public funds r assets c) an act r missin that creates an imminent risk f a substantial and specific danger t the life, health r safety f persns r the envirnment, r d) directing r cunselling smene t cmmit a wrngding Please use the fllwing frmat t satisfy the disclsure bligatin: The fllwing is a summary f disclsures received by the Nva Sctia Human Rights Cmmissin Infrmatin Required under Sectin18 f the Act Fiscal Year The number f disclsures received 0 The number f findings f wrngding Details f each wrngding (insert separate rw fr each wrngding) Recmmendatins and actins taken n each wrngding (insert separate rw fr each wrngding) NA NA NA 12