Robichaud v. Canada (Treasury Board)
Encyclopedia
Robichaud v. Canada, [1987] 2 S.C.R. 84 is a leading case decided by the Supreme Court of Canada
on sexual harassment
under the Canadian Human Rights Act
. The Court found that a corporation can be found liable for the discriminatory conduct of its employees who are acting "in the course of their employment". In looking at the purpose of the Act the court found that it was necessary to impose liability, as the employer is the only one in the position to remedy the discriminatory conduct.
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
on sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
under the Canadian Human Rights Act
Canadian Human Rights Act
The Canadian Human Rights Act is a statute originally passed by the Parliament of Canada in 1977 with the express goal of extending the law to ensure equal opportunity to individuals who may be victims of discriminatory practices based on a set prohibited grounds such as gender, disability, or...
. The Court found that a corporation can be found liable for the discriminatory conduct of its employees who are acting "in the course of their employment". In looking at the purpose of the Act the court found that it was necessary to impose liability, as the employer is the only one in the position to remedy the discriminatory conduct.