M-128 Caste-based discrimination

That:

(a) the House recognize that,

(i) caste-based discrimination is an internationally recognized violation of human rights,

(ii) caste-based discrimination can affect all aspects of life and result in social and economic exclusion and inequality for persons perceived to be of a “lower” caste,

(iii) millions of people worldwide still face appalling and dehumanising discrimination based on caste and similar systems of inherited status, according to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues,

(iv) other institutions have explicitly recognized caste-based discrimination as a human rights violation, including the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Toronto District School Board, and the Burnaby City Council, though often as an inferred ground of discrimination,

(v) caste-based discrimination is a part of the lived experience of many Canadians and ought to be explicitly prohibited; and

(b) in the opinion of the House, the government should amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add caste to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.