IN May this year, the
B.C. Human Rights
Advisory Council
handed its interim
report to members of
the legislative assem-
bly.

In the repert the council
urged MLAs to expand the
Hamar Rights Cade to
include new grounds tor
protection.

The advisory council is
an arm of the tripartite
human rights organization,
which also consists of the
Human Rights Commission
and the Human Rights
Tribunal.

A bureaucratic mouthful,
I know, but bear with me.

Here is the broad and
short of it: the Human
Rights Conimission decides
who is in need of protected-
species designation.

The quasi-judicial cri-
bunal then acts on these
definitions in the substance
of its decisions. And the
advisory council? [| honestly
can’s tell you.

Its work clearly entaiis
more than a bit of duplica-
tion and overlap.

Why, the council's May
report is almost a carbon
copy of the commission's
1998 report entitled Hasan
Rights for the Next
Millenninm,

That one arm of the
structure serves as an idco-
logical echo chamber to the
other, is no surprise.

It docs become a little
annoying considering the
council is supposed to be
more responsive to the com-
munity and its needs, than

comment

to its apparatchicks, Bur
never mind the burcaucratic
machinery, more compelling
is the recommendation to
include in the code protec
tion against discrimination
on the basis of “social con-
ditions.”

At present, the code pro-
tects against discrimination
on the grounds of race,
colour, ancestry, place of
origin, religion, marital sta-
tus, family status, physi
mental disability, sex, sexual
orientation and age. :

What does “social coridi-
tions” mean? ft means that
those who receive social
assistance, as well as single
women and single mothers,
will enjoy protection under
the code,

Ideally, the commission
would prefer an even broad-
er protection for the poor so
as to prevent discrimination
against a person based on
his standing in soc:ety “as
determined by his/her occu-
pation, income or education
level or family background.”

Does this mean that a
complaint might be lodged
against me if T refuse to
lease an apartment to some-
one with bad credit?

Am I not rejecting him
on the basis of his
“income,” or lack of it? You

vet the picture: we are look-
ing to create a formidable
expanse of potential griev-
ance.

Should this impetus tall
short of government
approval then the comniis-
sian will settle for the nar-
rower grounds of “hwtul
source of income.”

This means that no dis-
crimination in “accommoda-
tion, service, facility, pur-
chase of property, and
employment,” can be levied
at the recipient of welfare
monies, or at the recipient
of any “legal non-waye
incomes.”

In the likelihood the leg:
islature fails to approve this
change, the commission will
allow that protection against
discrimination based on
“lawtal source of income”
be confined to tenancy
alone.

Does this, by any chance,
overlap with other fegisia-
tion? You bet: By the com-
mission’s own admission,
Section ST of the Residential
Tenaney Act already covers
these prounds.

What's the point then? I
honestly don’t know,

The new recommenda:
tions undergitd the tenuous
balance in the code berween
the individual's treedam to
contract at will, and sate-
guard his or her property
rights, and the rights of a
group (the poor) to protec:
tion.

But fee's look at the kind
of transactions the changes
to the cade could catch,

Could this laudable quest
for social equality and eco-
nomic security force retailers
to lower prices because these

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discrimi nate against those
who can’? afford the mer-
chandise?

It might become an
offence fora landlord te
retuse to lease an abode to
someone who can’t pay the
rent.

Could banks be forced to
foan money to the indigent
with no expectation of a
return?

After all, denying an indi-
gent person a bank loan is
discriminating against the
person on the basis of
income.

And where in all this is
the right ofa property or
franchise owner to make
decisions that safeguard his
or her acquisitions?

if you think these scenar-
ios are absurd, think again:
The Huisman Rights ‘Fribunal
has hitherto heard some
outtandish cases.

The real question is the
continual expansion of the
definition of human rights
violations.

Increasingly social condi-
tions like poverty and the
shortage of affordable hous-
ing are cast as human rights
infractions.

“Native JEweLLery/
Web ING RINGS”

441 West 3rd Street, North Vancouver

388-9215

Friday, August 20, 1999 — North Shore News —

Human rights commission has new targets

The human rights foot
soldiers invariably bolster
this claim by invoking
Canada’s obligations as a
signatory to the various UN
covenants.

A UN covenant like the
International Covenant on
Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, maintains
that “freely chosen” des
able work is a humaa rig!

Adequate “rest and
leisure” so tucked in
somewhere in that covenant
sa right.

Whuman rights legista-
tion continues to hark to
such covenants, there is no
reason why someone who
hasn’t had a vacation, or has
not reached his carcer
apogee could not launch 3
complaint,

Such an expansive view of

human rights not only belit-
thes true depredation and
sutfering, but promises to
turn every human need inte

an inalienable right and any
unfulfilled need into a viola-
tion of human rights.

{n April, federal justice
minister Anne McLellan
Jaunched a review, headed
by former Supreme Court
Judge Gerard LaForest, thar
will examine the inclusion in
the federal Haman Rights
Act of a person's “social
conditions” as grounds for a
human rights complaint.

If the federal act extends
protection against discrimi-
nation on the grounds of
social conditions, B.C. is
fikely co follow suit.

The result will lead both
to the trammelling of prop-
erty rights and the freedom
to contract at will.

We would do well to
remember thar, like equality
before the law, so too do the
institutions of private prop-
erty and freedom of contract
form the foundation of a
free socicty.

There is a new pub at the
corner of Queens and Lonsdale,
at least that is the way it looks,

3 The Queen's Cross Pub was

Bestablished in 1979, and in
honour of its 20th
anniversary, it has been

@ remodeled. Thanks to a

Brenovation costing over
half a million dollars, chis
popular pub has been
transformed into a bright
and airy venue with a

B renewed focus on
authenticity and quality.

Management had the

Bgood taste to ask the local
clientele what they would

Blike to see changed. The

Boverwhelming majority
wanted to maintain the
English Pub theme.

2 Armed with their quest,

the owners traveled to

f England to study the land

Blof pubs first hand. When
they returned, work began

fon a second floor seating area,

m building a new bar, designing an
qcncry, and focusing on sourcing

Bout unique furniture and

Mfixtures to maintain the pub's

A beautiful front entrance has
been created featuring tile and
oak flooring, stained glass and
antique light fixtures. Once you

make your way into the pub, the

Dave Crown, Ray ‘Shore & Teri Short

invite you to the Queen's Cross

first ching you will notice is a
huge stone fireplace inset with
tilework. Hanging in front of
the fireplace is an antique
chandelier that used to belong
to a church in Manchester,

England.

To the right sits a new pool l
table with lots of elbow room. §
To the left is the new oak bar B
accented with stained glass, §

which now scats 12 instead
of only 4.

Huge windows bring inf
lots of light and a wide
stairway takes you tc a§
mezzanine featuring a view §
of downtown, as well as af
view overlooking che main
floor. The upper floor ®
offers a new dimension to
the pub and allows for
booking private parties.

Another dramaiic §
change is something thar]:
only a non-smoker would a
notice. A double air-§
conditioning unit that is
said to keep the air smoke :
free.

This rejuvenated local #
pub looks absolutely
fantastic. [ts unique decor J

makes it wosth visiting and its}
superior level of service andg -
quality of food, make it worth
staying. ‘

What was once old is new

again, and ic is fit for a Queen.

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YOUR CHOICE OF SOUP & SANDWICH,
PASTA OR FEATURE ENTREE.

*2nd item must be of equal or lesser value
offer expires Seprember 30/99

Queen’s Cross Neighbourhood Pub
and Cold Beer & Wine Emporium
2989 Lonsdale Ave., N.V. 980-7715