The BC Human Rights Tribunal (BCHRT) says it is drowning in a sea of complaints related to mandatory mask policies and vaccination requirements in the province.
In a recent post on Twitter, the BCHRT said COVID-19-related complaints created a backlog that affected its ability to deal with more pressing issues.
The court urges those who file these complaints to educate themselves on what constitutes a human rights violation.
Complaints against the BCHRT have increased after British Columbia introduced the BC Vaccine Card, which is the provincial version of a vaccine passport.
On September 15, the BCHRT released a statement detailing the validity of complaints about COVID-19 protocols in the province.
“The Human Rights Code does not protect people who oppose the mask rules because of their personal beliefs. The Human Rights Code only protects people who cannot wear a mask because of a protected characteristic, such as disability. “
The presiding judge asks people to educate themselves about human rights before filing a complaint.
“The code does not protect personal choice or personal preferences. The code protects personal characteristics such as disabilities, sex, race or gender identity. https://t.co/cRWKgn3yCS
– British Columbia Human Rights Clinic (@bchrc) September 27, 2021
The BCHRT says a complaint involved a person saying they did not want to wear a mask because it “dishonored God.” The complaint was dismissed.
Another complaint said wearing a mask “causes anxiety” and makes it “difficult to breathe”. This complaint was also dismissed.
The court will also not deal with complaints about people who disagree with a vaccine requirement based on personal beliefs.
The BCHRT is also urging people to speak to service providers before making the effort to file a complaint, which would help reduce the current backlog.
Daily Hive contacted the BCHRT for more information.
