News

HRTO Considers Whether University’s Response to Potentially Volatile Situation Was Discriminatory

News

HRTO Considers Whether University’s Response to Potentially Volatile Situation Was Discriminatory

Date: March 15, 2013

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario recently provided helpful guidance for employers and educational institutions which are faced with potential unrest due to competing opinions or political views, the genesis of which might be one’s place of origin or ethnic origin.

In the case at hand, which involved the removal by a university of controversial posters from its campus grounds, the Tribunal examined the approach taken by the university and found it to be consistent with past practice, done in good faith and out of sincere concern for the safety of its students. Any actions taken, therefore, were not discriminatory and an application under the Human Rights Code was dismissed. A discussion of this case is found on our Case in Point Blog, “University’s Removal of Controversial Posters Not Discriminatory under Human Rights Code.”