Education Act

In camera meetings – Closing the door doesn’t make it private

September 19, 2016 Occasional Contributors Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Privacy and Security, Union Relations

In camera (or closed–door) meetings exclude the public from participating and, by their very nature, they enjoy an aspect of privacy that open meetings do not. Additionally, if an administrative body is carrying out a public function, the privacy of the contents of in camera meetings can be further protected by a legal principle called “deliberative secrecy”. However, in certain circumstances, the courts may require that parties give evidence of what transpires in these meetings—in particular where they relate to administrative bodies acting as employers, rather than carrying out public functions.

closed–door meetings, collective agreement, Commission scolaire de Laval v. Syndicat de l’enseignement de la region de Laval, deliberative secrecy, disclosure of closed–door deliberations, distinction between public functions and employment–related decisions, Education Act, employment law, in camera meetings, Labour and Employment law, public law

Slaw: ‘Gay-Straight Alliances’ in schools part of anti-bullying Bill

May 31, 2012 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employee Relations, Human Resources, Human Rights, Union Relations

Through Standing Committee on Social Policy hearings, the government heard that students should be allowed to call student-led, single-issue groups specifically “Gay-Straight Alliances” or other similar names. This has angered some Christians, among them Evangelical and Catholic groups as well as their leaders, who feel that this Bill would force them to allow clubs with the name “Gay-Straight Alliance” in their schools. They feel accepting such a premise violates their beliefs, Charter rights and religious freedom.

2011, Anti-bullying, anti-bullying laws, Bill 13, Board employees, bullying, canadian charter of rights and freedoms, Catholic school board, Education Act, employment law, Freedom of religion, Gay-Straight Alliances, Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association, Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, the Accepting Schools Act

Do your managers and front line workers have accurate info about human rights issues?

November 22, 2011 Andrew Lawson Human Resources, Human Rights, Training and Development

Do your managers and front line workers have accurate facts about human rights issues? A number of conversations I have had with workers lately inform me that many people allow their emotions to overwhelm the facts. The misunderstandings that flow from this emotional response can lead to costly violations of the law for your organization.

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