Raymond seeks greater power for human rights inquiries

Monday October 11, 2004

Halifax – Michele Raymond MLA for Halifax Atlantic is calling on the government to ensure that the Human Rights Board is empowered to award costs.

“The province needs to send a clear message that discrimination will not go unpunished,� says Raymond. “And that message must also assure victims, such as Johnson and former Kentville police woman Trisha Saunders, that they will not be penalized for seeking justice in Nova Scotia.�

“Give the Human Rights Board the knock out punch it needs, by clearly giving it the power to award compensation.�

In June, the Halifax Regional Municipality filed documents with the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal seeking to reverse the board’s order that it pay two-thirds of the legal costs of Kirk Johnson’s discrimination case against the Halifax Regional Police. Mr. Johnson won the discrimination case and was awarded 10,000 dollars plus two thirds of his court expenses.

“Kirk Johnson fought his case before the Human Rights Board and won,� says Raymond. “Now the HRM is challenging him to fight again for the cost of a battle he’s already won. Where is the justice in that?�

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