1st Session, 42nd Parliament, 64-65 Elizabeth II, 2015-2016

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-16

An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

R.‍S.‍, c. H- 6

Canadian Human Rights Act

1998 , c. 9 , s. 9 ; 2012 , c. 1 , s. 137 (E)

1 Section 2 of the Canadian Human Rights Act is replaced by the following:

Purpose

2 The purpose of this Act is to extend the laws in Canada to give effect, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, to the principle that all individuals should have an opportunity equal with other individuals to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have and to have their needs accommodated, consistent with their duties and obligations as members of society, without being hindered in or prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression , marital status, family status, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered.

1996 , c. 14 , s. 2 ; 2012 , c. 1 , s. 138 (E)

2 Subsection 3 ( 1 ) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Prohibited grounds of discrimination

3 ( 1 ) For all purposes of this Act, the prohibited grounds of discrimination are race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression , marital status, family status, disability and conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered.

R.‍S.‍, c. C- 46

Criminal Code

2014 , c. 31 , s. 12

3 Subsection 318 ( 4 ) of the Criminal Code is replaced by the following:

Definition of identifiable group

( 4 ) In this section, identifiable group means any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression , or mental or physical disability.

1995 , c. 22 , s. 6

4 Subparagraph 718 .‍ 2 (a)‍(i) of the Act is replaced by the following:

(i) evidence that the offence was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression , or on any other similar factor,