Citizenship, Rights and Law Enforcement

Rights & Law

Office of the Commissioner of the Official Languages
Type: Federal
Website: https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of the Canadian government is responsible for achieving the objectives of, and promoting, Canada’s Official Languages Act.

  • Administers the Official Languages Act by protecting language rights and promotes English and French in Canadian society
  • Intervene with federal institutions when they do not meet their official language obligations
  • Provides education to the general public about their language rights and investigates complaints from the public regarding federal institutions that infringe language rights
Email: information.information@clo-ocol.gc.ca
Telephone:
Fax:
Address: 30 Victoria Street, 6th floor Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0T8

Enforcement

Parole Board of Canada (PBC)
Type: Federal
Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board.html

The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) is an independent administrative tribunal that, as part of the Canadian criminal justice system, makes conditional release and record suspension decisions, and clemency recommendations.

  • Grants, denies, cancels, terminates or revokes day parole and full parole for people convicted and serving jail time, and authorizes or approves temporary absences
  • Provides victims with information and facilitates their participation in the parole process
  • The PBC may order, refuse to order, or revoke record suspensions (formerly known as pardons), including an expedited process for simple cannabis conviction records
Email: Info@pbc-clcc.gc.ca
Telephone: 613-954-7474
Fax:
Address: 410 Laurier Avenue West Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R1
British Columbia Review Board (BCRB)
Type: Vancouver Coastal
Website: https://www.bcrb.ca/

The British Columbia Review Board (BCRB) is an administrative tribunal, established by the Criminal Code of Canada. Its purpose is to make decisions and orders concerning the liberty of individuals whom the courts have found to be not criminally responsible for acts committed while they were suffering from a mental disorder, or whose mental disorder makes them unfit to stand trial on criminal charges.

  • The BCRB must take into account the safety of the public, which is the paramount consideration. It also takes into account the mental condition of the accused, the reintegration of the accused into society, and the other needs of the accused.
  • An accused has the right to be represented by counsel (a lawyer). Under the Criminal Code, the review board may assign counsel if required in the interests of justice. Where necessary, the Legal Aid BC is authorized to provide counsel either through the Mental Health Law Program of the Community Legal Assistance Society or from the outside bar.
Email: BCRBRegistry@gov.bc.ca
Telephone: 604-660-8789
Fax: 604-660-8809
Address: 1270 - 605 Robson St Vancouver, BC V6B 5J3
Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (CPC)
Type: Federal
Website: https://www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca/

The Commission for Public Complaints is an independent agency, established to receive and review complaints about the conduct of RCMP members in the performance of their duties. It acts as a third party and is not part of the RCMP. The commission examines complaints fairly and impartially, and makes unbiased findings. Its recommendations are aimed at identifying, correcting and preventing problems in policing.

  • The CPC is not part of the RCMP
  • Investigates complaints from a member of the public that concerns the conduct of an RCMP member while performing a policing duty or function
  • Reports and makes findings and recommendations aimed at correcting and preventing recurring policing problems
Email: https://www.crcc-ccetp.gc.ca/en/contact-form
Telephone:
Fax: 613-952-8045
Address: P.O. Box 1722, Station B Ottawa, ON K1P 0B3
Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC)
Type: Federal
Website: http://www.sirc-csars.gc.ca/index-eng.html

The Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) is an independent, external review body which reports to the Parliament of Canada on the operations of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)

  • Ensures that CSIS powers to intrude on people's privacy are used legally and appropriately, in order to protect Canadians’ rights and freedoms.
  • Investigates complaints by individuals or groups through a quasi-judicial hearing presided over by a Committee Member assisted by staff
Email: info@sirc-csars.gc.ca
Telephone: 1-833-890-0293
Fax: 613-907-4445
Address: P.O. Box 2430, Station “D” Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5W5
Veterans Review and Appeal Board (VRAB)
Type: Federal
Website: https://vrab-tacra.gc.ca/en

The Veterans Review and Appeal Board is the independent appeal tribunal for the disability pension and disability award programs administered by Veterans Affairs Canada.

Email: https://vrab-tacra.gc.ca/en/contact-us/info@vrab-tacra.gc.ca
Telephone: 1-800-450-8006
Fax: 1-855-850-4644
Address: Veterans Review and Appeal Board Post Office Box 9900 Charlottetown PE C1A 8V7
Military Grievances External Review Committee
Type: Federal
Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/military-grievances-external-review.html

The Military Grievances External Review Committee is an independent administrative tribunal. The Committee reviews military grievances and provides findings and recommendations to the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Canadian Armed Forces member who submitted the grievance.

An administrative tribunal with quasi-judicial powers, independent from the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.

Email: mgerc-ceegm@mgerc-ceegm.gc.ca
Telephone: 613-996-8529
Fax:
Address: 60 Queen Street 9th floor Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5Y7
Military Police Complaints Commission (MPCC)
Type: Federal
Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/military-police-complaints.html

The Military Police Complaints Commission reviews and investigates complaints concerning military police conduct and investigates allegations of interference in military police investigations. It reports its findings and makes recommendations directly to the military police and national defence leadership.

The MPCC’s mandate is to contribute to maintaining high standards with respect to the conduct of Military Police members in the performance of their policing duties and functions, and to ensure the integrity of Military Police investigations. The MPCC believes in impartiality, integrity, objectivity, and respect for rights of individuals. The MPCC fulfills its mandate and mission by exercising the following responsibilities:

  • Monitoring investigations by the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (Chief of Police) of Military Police conduct complaints
  • Reviewing the disposition of those complaints at the request of the complainant
  • Investigating complaints of interference
  • Conducting public interest investigations and hearings
Email: commission@mpcc-cppm.gc.ca
Telephone: 613-947-5625
Fax:
Address: 270 Albert Street, 10th Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 5G8