PUBLIC EDUCATION
The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, 2018 sets out the Commission’s responsibilities for education and engagement, which include:
- Promoting the principle that every person is free and equal in dignity and rights;
- Fostering understanding and acceptance of, and compliance with, the Code;
- Developing and delivering educational initiatives to help eliminate discrimination;
- Providing information and educational programs about the legal rights of all Saskatchewan residents;
- Advancing equality of opportunity and the legal rights for all people, regardless of their status;
- Supporting and encouraging research by individuals and organizations working to promote human rights; and
- Championing cultural diversity as a basic human right and fundamental human value.
To meet our obligations under the Code, the Commission delivers a range of educational and collaborative initiatives, including presentations, workshops, awareness campaigns, and conferences.
We also established a Business Help Line to support Saskatchewan businesses to better understand their rights and responsibilities under the Code.
BUSINESS HELP LINE
In an effort to be proactive, and to assist businesses in avoiding mistakes that result in human rights complaints, the Commission established a Business Help Line in 2014.
Businesses and organizations in Saskatchewan can call for human rights advice – free of charge. Every year, the Commission receives hundreds of calls from businesses, service providers, and other employers seeking this type of advice. Calls can take as little as 10 minutes or can last up to an hour.
This past year our Business Help Line received 298 calls.
LUNCH AND LEARNS
In June 2022, the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission launched its Employment Equity Partner Lunch and Learns. Held online, these sessions feature experts from around the province speaking about equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
This year, our Lunch and Learns covered intellectual disabilities and hiring practices using a human rights lens.
The first session featured Brittany Action (Director of Initiatives – Inclusion SK) and Nicole Bangs (Inclusive Employment Facilitator – Inclusion SK). They talked about hiring and supporting employees with intellectual disabilities.
They touched on barriers to employment faced by people with intellectual disabilities, as well as how Inclusion SK has found a path to continuous improvement in the organization’s recruitment and retention strategies.
Brittany and Nicole also discussed the benefits of inclusive hiring practices and shared how employers can find support to ensure success.
The other Lunch and Learn session – featuring the SHRC’s Director of Systemic Initiatives, Robin Mowat – was titled: Human Rights and Hiring Interviews.
In this session, the requirements for employers to avoid discrimination in their hiring processes was discussed, including application forms and interviews. The session also included practical information for employers seeking to do preferential hiring in accordance with an equity plan.
PUBLIC EDUCATION SESSIONS
The Commission provides educational sessions to employers, unions, professional associations, community organizations and other groups in the province. These sessions, conducted both online and in-person, provide human rights information to the public and help develop a culture in which rights, as well as responsibilities, are understood and respected.
During the 2024-25 fiscal year, the Commission engaged in the following public education events:
1. Saskatchewan School Board Association Spring General Assembly – April 12, 2024
2. Environmental Health Association of Quebec – April 25, 2024
3. City of Saskatoon – May 1, 2, and 4, 2024
4. Law Society of Saskatchewan – May 3, 2024
5. Ukrainian Congress of Canada – May 16, June 18, November 7, December 5, February 6 (2024-2025)
6. Plannera – August 15, 2024
7. Vanier Collegiate – January 14, 2025
8. Truly Alive Youth and Family Foundation 2nd Annual Afrocentric Symposium – February 5, 2024
9. Saskatchewan Accessibility Advisory Committee – February 24, 202
10. Canadian Condominium Institute – February 25, 2025
IN THE COMMUNITY
USSU PRIDE FLAG RAISING CEREMONY
The Commission attended the USSU Pride Flag Raising Ceremony on May 31. The event marked the beginning of Pride Month with a flag-raising ceremony at the University of Saskatchewan. Both the Two-Spirit Pride flag and Inclusive Pride flag were raised as symbols of the university’s commitment to creating an inclusive environment for everyone, including 2SLGBTQIA+ community members. The gathering provided an opportunity for staff, students, and faculty to demonstrate support, while also offering a chance to hear perspectives from USask community members in a spirit of learning and listening together.
ROCK YOUR ROOTS
On National Indigenous Peoples Day 2024, we spent the morning with thousands of others in Saskatoon on Rock Your Roots: Walk for Reconciliation. The annual walk honours residential school survivors and invites the community to show up and demonstrate their commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
2024 PRIDE PARADE
To commemorate Pride Month 2024, the Commission participated in the Saskatoon Pride Parade on June 22, 2024. The event drew thousands of attendees who gathered to honor, appreciate, celebrate, and show support for LGBTQ2S+ individuals and their families.
CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY
The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission celebrated Human Rights Day 2024 (December 10) by partnering with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to host a Canadian Citizenship Ceremony at TCU Place in Saskatoon.
The event – officiated by Dr. Jim Miller – welcomed 87 candidates from 24 countries into the Canadian family.
Remarks were given by Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Russell Mirasty, City of Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block, and SHRC Chief Commissioner Treena Sikora.
After congratulating the candidates and talking about the rights and freedoms they have as new citizens, Chief Commissioner Sikora reminded everyone that with rights come responsibilities.
“As Canadian citizens, it is your responsibility to respect and uphold the rights of others, to stand up against injustice, and to ensure that no one is left behind,” she said.
“It is also your responsibility to learn the truths about our shared history and to engage in the process of reconciliation with the First Peoples of this continent. Becoming a Canadian citizen is more than just a passport or the right to vote … it is a commitment to our shared values. It is a pledge to contribute to the fabric of this country, and to embrace both its opportunities as well as its responsibilities.”