History Of CASHRA

Girls at computer The Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies (CASHRA)

CASHRA was founded in 1972. However, its history began more than 30 years earlier.

CASHRA'S predecessor was the Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL); which was formed in 1938. Its purpose was to provide labour officials from different jurisdictions with the opportunity to meet and share information. At that time, labour officials were responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws.

By the late 1960s, the conferences set aside time for addressing human rights matters. During the same time period, the provinces began passing human rights laws that were distinct from labour law. The officials responsible for human rights also started to meet and to hold their own conferences. CAALL's group of human rights officials became known as the Canadian Administrators of Human Rights Legislation.

In 1969, at CAALL's annual conference in Ottawa, the Canadian Administrators of Human Rights Legislation agreed toform a permanent national organization. At the group's 1970 meeting, the administrators decided on guiding principles for the new organization. This became the basis for CASHRA's constitution. At the group's next meeting in 1972, it issued a press release announcing the creation of this new organization, CASHRA:

The main purpose of this Association will be to establish an effective communications link between governmental agencies working in the field of combating discrimination. By making the methods and programs which have proven successful in one jurisdiction more readily available to other agencies, the member organizations should be better able to carry forward their task of maintaining the basic rights and the essential human dignity of all persons in this country.

Since 1972, CASHRA's purpose and motivation has remained much the same. CASHRA activities have included:

Hosting annual national conferences
Passing resolutions on human rights issues of national interest.
Acting as intervener in cases before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Coordinating national educational initiatives

CASHRA Presidents and Conference Sites

Year	President	Conference Site
2010	Barbara Hall, Chief Commissioner Ontario Human Rights Commission	St. John's, NL
2009	Mary Pat Short, Chair, NWT Human Rights Commission	Montréal, PQ
2008	Mary Pat Short, Chair, NWT Human Rights Commission	Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
2007	Gordon Porter, Chair, NB Human Rights Commission	Yellowknife, NT
2006	Gordon Porter, Chair, NB Human Rights Commission	Fredericton, NB
2005	Donna Scott, Q.C., Chief Commissioner, Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission	Saskatoon, SK
2004	Donna Scott, Q.C., Chief Commissioner, Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission	Ottawa, ON
2003	Janet Baldwin, Chief Commissioner, Manitoba Human Rights Commission	Winnipeg, MB
2002	Major General George S. Kells (Retired), Chairperson, PEI Human Rights Commission	Charlottetown, PEI
2001	Mary Kane, Chief Commissioner, Yukon Human rights Commission	Whitehorse, YK
2000	Charlach Mackintosh, Chief Commissioner, Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission	Banff, AB
1999	Claude Filion, Président, Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse	Montréal, PQ
1998	Mary MacLennon, Chair, Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission	Halifax, NS
1997	Keith Norton, Chief Commissioner, Ontario Human Rights Commission	Toronto, ON
1996	Harinder Mahil, Chair, BC Council of Human Rights	Victoria, BC
1995	Ken Filkow, Chair, Manitoba Human Rights Commission	Winnipeg, MB
1994	Constantine Passaris, Chairperson, New Brunswick Human Rights Commission	Fredericton, NB
1993	Michelle Falardeau-Ramsay, Chief Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission	Ottawa, ON
1992	Fil Fraser, Chief Commissioner, Alberta Human Rights Commission and Theresa Holizki, Q.C., Chief Commissioner, Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission	Lloydminster, SK
1991	Rev. J. Leo Trainor, Chair, Prince Edward Island Human Rights Commission	Charlottetown, PEI
1990	Sylvia Neschokat, Chair, Yukon Human Rights Commission	Whitehorse, YK
1989	Douglas Wilson, Chair, BC Council of Human Rights	Victoria, BC
1988	Gillian D. Butler, Chair, Newfoundland Human Rights Commission	St. John's NL
1987	Borden Purcell, Chair, Ontario Human Rights Commission	Toronto, ON
1986	Nicole Trudeau-Bérard, Vice-Président, Commission des droits de la personne et de la jeunesse	Québec City, PQ
1985	Marlene Antonio, Chief Commissioner, Alberta Human Rights Commission	Edmonton, AB
1984	Dale Gibson, Chairperson, Manitoba Human Rights Commission	Winnipeg, MB
1983	Ken E. Norman, Chief Commissioner, Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission	Saskatoon, SK
1982	R. Gordon L. Fairweather, Chief Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission	Montebello, PQ
1981	Dorothea Crittenden, Chair, Ontario Human Rights Commission	Windsor, ON
1980	Noel A. Kinsella, Chairperson, New Brunswick Human Rights Commission	Moncton, NB
1979	Kathleen Ruff, Director, B.C. Human Rights Commission	Vancouver, BC
1978	René Hurtubise, Président, Commission des droits de la personne	Québec City, PQ
1977	Max Wyman, Chair, Alberta Human Rights Commission	Banff, AB
1976	Tillie Taylor, Chairperson, Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission	Saskatoon, SK
1975	Noel A. Kinsella, Chairperson, New Brunswick Human Rights Commission	Fredericton, NB
1974	Caroline Cramer, Q.C., Chairperson, Manitoba Human Rights Commission	Winnipeg, MB
1973	W. Andrew McKay, Chair, Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission	Halifax, NS
1972	Keith Henders, Executive Chairperson, Alberta Human Rights Commission	Edmonton, AB

CASHRA Resolutions – Themes and Topics

Since its inception in 1972, CASHRA has passed a variety of resolutions. Below is a brief description of the themes and topics of those resolutions.

Human Rights Agencies

support for independence from government
support adequate resources to meet mandates
opposition to dismantling of BC Human Rights Council
concern over possible dismantling or weakening of Alberta Human Rights Commission
support for strengthening Canadian Human Rights Commission
support for reconstituting Court Challenges Program
opposition to dismantling BC Human Rights Commission

Human Rights Legislation

expansion of protected grounds, such as sexual orientation
inclusion of accommodation provisions
inclusion of affirmative action provisions

Aboriginal Peoples

support for a Royal Commission
need to acknowledge past wrongs; e.g. residential schools
support for amending section 12(1)(b) of the Indian Act

Discrimination

promote elimination of hate propaganda
concern about racism and homophobia
support race relations training for police
support for changing building codes to make all buildings accessible
support changing census to allow more data collection for employment equity purposes
critique of National Convention of Legions regarding headgear

CASHRA Interventions

Ross v. New Brunswick School Dist. No. 15 (1996), 25 C.H.R.R. D/175 (S.C.C.)
Vriend v. Alberta [1998] 1 S.C.R. 493

CASHRA Educational Initiatives

Annual CASHRA conference
Interactive website targeted to youth to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Training needs survey for human rights commission staff
Training bulletin listing resource materials kept by various human rights agencies and announcing training courses and workshops being offered by different agencies.
Generic skills training modules for front line staff of human rights commissions
Training modules for human rights commissioners and staff designed to introduce new personnel to the work of a human rights commission
Anti-racism training
Educational posters on human rights themes
Workshop for CASHRA educators on outcome-based planning

History Of CASHRA

CASHRA Presidents and Conference Sites

CASHRA Resolutions – Themes and Topics

CASHRA Interventions

CASHRA Educational Initiatives

Mark your calendars for the 2012 CASHRA Conference