By: Lou Lamari, Articling Student-at-Law (University of Manitoba Faculty of Law)
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) recently published a report examining how people in Canada perceive, value, and engage with human rights. This initiative aims to deepen the Museum’s understanding of national perspectives, guiding efforts to enhance public awareness and respect for human rights. Conducted in 2023 and 2024, the survey explores topics such as people’s understanding of human rights, their prioritization of issues, trusted sources of information, and actions taken to address injustices.
The report can be found here.
General Perspectives on Human Rights
Respondents expressed optimism about human rights in Canada but were less hopeful about the situation globally. Over the past decade, areas like housing and healthcare were perceived as weakened within Canada, with nearly 60% believing that safe, affordable housing has deteriorated, and 37% expressing the same about healthcare.[1]
When asked about paying more taxes to ensure affordable housing, 37% of respondents in 2024 were supportive, a 3% increase from 2023. Younger people (18–34) and 2SLGBTQIA+ respondents were more likely to be supportive.[2]
Top Human Rights Issues
Respondents highlighted shifting priorities between 2023 and 2024. “Censorship, freedom of speech, and being ‘cancelled’” rose from the fourth to the top human rights concern in 2024. While sexism and women’s rights remain significant human rights concerns globally, they were seen as areas of notable improvement in Canada.[3]
Disability rights were not frequently identified as a priority, but 70% of respondents supported making businesses accessible to everyone, regardless of cost. Additionally, many respondents agreed with a need for greater attention to disability rights.[4]
Attitudes Toward Immigration
A troubling shift in attitudes toward immigration emerged. In 2024, 41% of respondents felt there was too much focus on newcomers’ rights. Similarly, 56% believed refugees and asylum seekers received excessive benefits, an increase from 2023. The proportion of people who viewed immigrants as beneficial to Canada dropped from 52% to 44% in one year. There was a notable increase between 2023 and 2024 in sentiments that correlate immigration with economic strain in Canada, prompting calls for further research.[5]
Human Rights Violations and Upstanders
Between 2023 and 2024, there was a significant increase in the proportion of respondents who self-identified as having experienced at least one human rights violation, with these numbers being particularly high among Indigenous (56%) and 2SLGBTQ+ (52%) respondents in 2024.[6] They note that direct experience of a human rights violation increased the likelihood of being an upstander. That is, a person who takes action when they recognize an injustice, based on their own skills and means, to call attention to and remedy such injustices.[7]
“Those aged 18-34, 2SLGBTQIA+, and/or racialized respondents were more likely to be in the high upstander category, while those aged 55 or above, those with lower incomes and less education, and those who had not experienced any human rights violations were more likely to be in the non-upstander category.”[8]
Trusted Sources of Information
Teachers and professors were deemed the most reliable sources of human rights information, followed by advocacy organizations and museums. Conversely, religious leaders, businesses, and social media were the least trusted. However, trust in social media was significantly higher among those aged 18-34, newcomers, and racialized respondents.
Reflections and Questions
At the end of the report, there is a list of questions for reflection, with one particularly catching my attention, asking how much do Canadians understand the relationships between economics, immigration, housing and quality of life? Further, do perspectives on these issues incorporate the nuance and complexity of these systems?[9] I wonder, if a majority of Canadians did indeed have a basic understanding of these connections, how would the data from this survey be different?
The findings also underscore the importance of education. With teachers viewed as the most trusted human rights educators, it’s worth considering whether current school curriculums adequately prepare students to understand and uphold human rights as adults.
The perception that safe, affordable housing and adequate healthcare have deteriorated over the past decade suggests structural deficiencies in ensuring equitable access to essential services, which is a key component of social justice. These barriers disproportionately affect marginalized groups, including Indigenous, racialized, disabled, and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, who also report higher incidences of human rights violations. Addressing these systemic issues is integral to expanding access to justice and ensuring that all individuals can fully exercise their rights.
Moreover, the report emphasizes the role of education in shaping human rights awareness and advocacy. Teachers and professors, identified as the most trusted sources of information by respondents, play an integral role in equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand, navigate and challenge injustices. This finding in the report reinforces the need for comprehensive legal and civic education as a cornerstone of fostering access to justice.
As CMHR continues its work, the evolving perspectives captured in these surveys could significantly influence how the Museum curates exhibits and engages with its audience. These insights may also serve as a valuable tool for policymakers, educators, and human rights advocates to address pressing issues, bridge knowledge gaps, and foster a more just and inclusive society.
[1] Canadian Museum for Human Rights, “Foresights for Human Rights 2024” (last visited 12 December 2024) at 6-7, online (pdf): <humanrights.ca/foresights#:~:text=The%202024%20Foresights%20for%20Human,Canada%2C%20paints%20a%20compelling%20picture.>
[2] Ibid at 8.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid at 9.
[5] Ibid, at 9.
[6] Ibid, at 10.
[7] Ibid, at 11.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid, at 14.