News Human Rights
Quebec rights commission drops discrimination cases after Supreme Court’s Ward ruling

Quebec’s human rights commission says it will close several cases involving allegations of discriminatory comments following an October Supreme Court decision.

The rights commission says it will now only pursue cases where comments lead to discriminatory actions.

The change comes after the Supreme Court of Canada overturned a ruling by Quebec’s human rights tribunal, which had found that Quebec comedian Mike Ward discriminated against disabled singer Jérémy Gabriel during a comedy routine.

In the ruling, the high court said the tribunal had overstepped its legal bounds in several other cases where it issued fines after finding that comments alone amounted to discrimination.

The tribunal hears cases brought to it by the provincial human rights commission.

The commission says it will continue to pursue cases where discrimination is alleged involving housing, employment and public services.