Prince Edward Island recently became the third Atlantic Canadian province to expressly include “gender expression” and “gender identity” as protected grounds under the Human Rights Act, RSPEI 1988, c H-12 (the “Act”). The Act was amended by Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act, to include the new protected grounds. Royal assent was granted on December 6, 2013.
Although past claims dealing with discrimination or harassment on these grounds have been accepted under the enumerated ground of “sex,” this legislative amendment reiterates the message that transgender, transsexual, intersex, crossdresser, trans, and other persons who express gender differently than their birth-assigned sex are afforded protection under the Act.
The new grounds are not defined in the Act; however, the Ontario Human Rights Commission defines “gender identity” as being “linked to a person’s sense of self, and the sense of being male or female.” Whereas “gender expression” refers to external attributes, behavior, appearance, dress, etc.
The Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education is considering expanding the equal pay provisions of the Labour Standards Code (the “Code”), and its ability to enforce compliance with the Code through the imposition of administrative penalties. The Code currently has equal pay provisions that prohibit employers from paying women differently from men for […]
read moreCorporate Structure Consider the best ownership structure for you and your partners. Below are several options for how to set up your business and the advantages and disadvantages associated with each, taking into account factors such as personal liability and income tax implications. Sole Proprietorship One individual is the sole owner of the business. Advantages: […]
read moreThe potential in Atlantic Canada for economically sustainable aquaculture has been well documented, but getting the industry to flourish remains a challenge and yet an opportunity for the governments in this region.
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