The Senate of Canada on Wednesday rejected, by a vote of 32-41, its human rights committee’s proposed amendment to include a “residential school denialism” offense in the contentious hate crime bill. The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights returned its report with amendments to the Senate on Tuesday. One main amendment added a residential school [...]

The Canadian Teachers’ Federation on Tuesday called on governments to engage in meaningful labor negotiations and refrain from invoking the “notwithstanding clause.” The statement urged all governments to respect teachers’ labor rights, including the right to association, collective bargaining and strike. The group called on the government to engage in good-faith negotiations with education workers [...]

The leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP), Don Davies, introduced a bill to ban floor-crossing without voters’ consent on Tuesday. The bill comes after five lawmakers left their original party and joined the Liberal Party, giving it a majority at the House of Commons. If passed in its current form, Bill C-278 will automatically [...]

More than 30 UN special rapporteurs and human rights experts welcomed on Friday a General Assembly resolution that reaffirms state parties’ obligations on climate change. This comes one day after the publication of a meteorology report, suggesting that the Paris Agreement’s long-term climate goals are attainable despite temporary breaches. The statement suggests that 141 states [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday urged countries and tech companies to establish effective regulation of online platforms to better protect children. The appeal comes with a guideline of important components required in regulations. Türk highlighted that effective regulations can prevent online harm posed to children. He emphasized that certain features–such [...]

The Federal Court of Australia has admitted a UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment as an intervenor in a judicial review concerning a liquefied natural gas (LNG) operation site, according to a Friday press release. The admission marks the first time a national court has allowed a UN environmental expert to advise [...]

The Supreme Court of Canada refused on Thursday to hear an appeal by the six Wolastoqey communities of New Brunswick seeking to assert Aboriginal title over private lands. The issue before the court was whether First Nations can assert Aboriginal title when private parties hold a fee simple interest in land. The top court’s refusal [...]

Canadian Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne said Tuesday that the federal lawful access bill requires further amendments to strengthen privacy protections for Canadians, despite the government’s previous efforts. If enacted, Bill C-22 would authorize law enforcement officers to obtain subscriber information from electronic service providers for criminal investigations. Dufresne urged Parliament to limit the bill’s definition [...]

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice barred the regional municipality of Waterloo from removing encampments on Thursday. The court held that the municipality’s site-specific bylaw is not only discriminatory but also infringes the right to life, liberty and security of the encampment residents. Justice Michael R. Gibson held that the municipality’s bylaw, allowing forced evictions [...]

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) warned Thursday that journalists covering the FIFA World Cup 2026 may face hostility from the authorities. The warning comes with a travel advisory and legal rights guide for journalists. The group recorded recent actions taken by US immigration authorities against journalists for their work. Some examples are the deportations [...]