MOOSE JAW — The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission (SHRC) hosted a well-attended public engagement session at the Moose Jaw Public Library recently, offering residents an opportunity to learn about their rights and share concerns affecting the community.
The event, part of the SHRC's province-wide outreach initiative, featured a comprehensive presentation by Systemic Specialist Maria Soonias-Ali, who outlined the three levels of human rights protections: international, national, and provincial. She emphasized the importance of understanding The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, which protects individuals in areas such as employment, education, housing, and public services.
The session attracted over 30 attendees, filling the library's South Meeting Room to capacity. Robin Mowat, director of systemic initiatives at the SHRC, noted the community's eagerness to engage in discussions about human rights.
“We were very pleased to meet with the people of Moose Jaw. It’s a wonderful city, and we’re eager to come back in the near future,” he said.
Mowat said the concerns raised by Moose Jaw residents mirrored those seen across the province, particularly regarding workplace discrimination.
“The vast majority of complaints we get are employment-related,” he said. “Moose Jaw is facing some of the same challenges that the bigger cities are facing, but just not to the same degree.”
He also acknowledged the city's proactive approaches to addressing issues like homelessness and the integration of newcomers, citing organizations such as Square One Community Inc. and the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council.
“Moose Jaw, like all the cities in Saskatchewan, is becoming more diverse… (and seeing) more newcomers,” Mowat said, noting that approximately 12 per cent of the province’s population was born outside of Canada.
For individuals experiencing discrimination, Mowat advised reaching out to the SHRC for a confidential discussion about available options.
“Many times, all that’s required is a third party to help facilitate a brief conversation,” he said. “Other times, the situation is maybe more complex, and the person wants to pursue our formal complaint process.”
The SHRC's complaint resolution process emphasizes mediation, with approximately 80 per cent of complaints resolved through this method.
Last year, the SHRC handled 2,755 inquiries and received 522 formal complaints from across the province, with 106 moving forward to mediation or investigation. Not all complaints are escalated — some fall outside the commission’s jurisdiction or lack sufficient evidence. When accepted, the process includes an initial assessment, followed by a response from the accused party and a mediation attempt using restorative justice practices.
Of all reported cases, the average resolution time is approximately 11 months and only a small fraction — roughly 1.5 to three per cent — end up in court.
In the past 25 years, the SHRC has seen a rise in complaints, reflecting population growth among immigrants, visible minorities, and Indigenous communities. Disability-related complaints, in particular, have grown by nearly 40 percentage points over the past three decades.
The SHRC plans to use feedback from these sessions to inform policy recommendations and develop educational materials tailored to community needs.
As part of its ongoing outreach, the SHRC intends to return to Moose Jaw for further engagement and collaboration with local organizations.
Human rights advocacy has a long history in Saskatchewan, going back to The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code enacted in 1947 for the first time in Canada. The SHRC was formed in 1972 as an independent agency of the Government of Saskatchewan to protect the equal rights of the public.
“We’re coming up to 80 years (since this code was enacted), but every generation has really contributed to refining and improving that legislation over time. Human rights… belong to everyone… It’s really something for all the people of Saskatchewan to be involved with,” Mowat said.
“We (the SHRC) are here to administer the law and the wishes of the people of Saskatchewan when it comes to human rights.”
For more information about the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission or to learn how to file a complaint, visit SaskatchewanHumanRights.ca.
