Mariana Valverde

The complainant alleged that the Mayor and the City of London discriminated against him on the basis of sexual orientation by refusing to issue a civic proclamation for 'Pride Weekend'.

The Board of Inquiry found that the Mayor's refusal, and the City Council's subsequent failure to rectify the situation, constituted discrimination in the provision of services.

The Board rejected the respondents' arguments that proclamations are not 'services' under the Human Rights Code and that compelling a proclamation would violate their freedom of expression under the Charter.

The Board ordered the respondents to issue the proclamation and awarded the complainant $10,000 in damages.

The complainant, a registered nurse, was denied family benefits for her same-sex conjugal partner under her employer's group benefit plan.

The Board of Inquiry found that the denial of benefits to same-sex couples constituted discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, contrary to the Human Rights Code.

The Board held that the exemption in section 25(2) of the Code for benefit plans discriminating on the basis of marital status did not apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The respondent was ordered to pay $4,000 in compensation for loss of dignity and to amend its benefit plans to provide coverage for same-sex couples.