If a complaint cannot be settled, a board of inquiry may be appointed to hold a hearing. In the human rights field, harassment means unwelcome or insulting comments or conduct related to a personal characteristic such as race, gender or sexual orientation. Human rights are rights that all people have. These rights do not have to be earned and they are inalienable, which means no one can take them away. In Canada, human rights acts are the provincial and federal laws that prohibit certain types of discrimination and harassment , whether by governments, businesses or organizations.
Some human rights acts in Canada also guarantee certain liberties and freedoms.
Discrimination and harassment is prohibited on the grounds of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, place of origin, age, physical disability , mental disability , marital status, sexual orientation or sex , including pregnancy. Certain exceptions apply. The act is enforced by the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission. Federally regulated activities, such as broadcasting, telecommunications, banking, railways, ships, airlines and the federal government, are subject to the Canadian Human Rights Act , which is enforced by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. They should not be confused with human rights boards of inquiry , which are independent tribunals, or with the Office of the Ombudsman.