[Clive]

It is ostensibly "sued" -- but all that the "plaintiff" has to do is to file a complaint and the commission does the rest, including evidence gathering, preparation of witnesses and advocating the complaint before the tribunal, which is itself.

The "respondent" has all the burden of defending himself, including evidence gathering, preparation of witnesses, and paying for lawyers, totally unaided by the commission.

The proceedings can become protracted until the defendent decides that his choice is to bear a heavy cost or enter into a plea deal. The fine is usually less than the cost of defending the action so the defendent usually caves. He thereby brands himself as a violator of human rights and gives the commission ammunition to use against the next person or organization that it chooses to harrass.

Need I say that the composition of the commission is usually left wingers with an activist history.

[concrete is my business]

IMO these so called Human Rights Commissions are abhorrent.

I hope the Conservatives get rid of them.

Are they a Federal or Provincial jurisdiction?

[dennisw]

It is ostensibly "sued" -- but all that the "plaintiff" has to do is to file a complaint and the commission does the rest, including evidence gathering, preparation of witnesses and advocating the complaint before the tribunal, which is itself.

MONEY is the key here. The defendant says he will spend $50,000 defending himself while the Muslim complainer spends not a dime. Merely has to file a complaint with the attack dogs of the Alberta Human Rights Commission which does the suing.

The EEOC and state level civil rights agencies function the same way. You pay nothing to sic them on the party who wronged you