Language
It may be your mother tongue or another language you speak at home, at work or elsewhere. It may also be your accent.
A person cannot discriminate or harass you because of your language or accent. The Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms prohibits anyone to:
- treat you differently because of your language or accent
- make offensive and repeated comments to you related to your language or accent
- behave repeatedly in an offensive manner towards you in relation to your language or accent
This video presents the topic of language in American Sign Language (ASL)
Do you believe you are being discriminated against or harassed because of your language?
The Commission can help you recognize discrimination or harassment and take action to prevent or stop discriminatory behaviour.
Discrimination in hiring because of his mother tongue
James filled out an application form for a company near his reserve. One of the questions on the form was about his mother tongue. He was afraid to write “Cree” and did not know what to do. Employers cannot ask questions about applicants’ mother tongue. People’s proficiency in a given language can be considered only if it is relevant to the position.
Did you know?
In Québec, French is the official language. The other principal languages spoken include English, Italian, Arabic, and Spanish. Cree is the aboriginal language most spoken in Québec, followed by Innu and Inuktitut.
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