[witch_power]

OK, I am on the hunt now for Canadian Breastfeeding laws. To start, I found this from 2010:

Canadian Federal Laws and the Right to Breastfeed

When asked about the issue of breastfeeding in public in Canada, breastfeeding support groups typically point to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (comparable to the U.S. Bill of Rights). The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees "gender equity," and it is on that clause that most breastfeeding rights advocates hang their hat.

Breastfeeding Laws in British Columbia and Ontario

On the provincial level, only two provinces have laws that protect a woman's right to breastfeed. British Columbia and Ontario have been pioneering there way in breastfeeding rights. In these provinces, not only is a woman's right to breastfeed anywhere at any time protected, it is also illegal to ask the mother to be discrete. The Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia states it this way, "Nursing mothers have the right to breastfeed their children in a public area, and it is discriminatory to ask them to cover up or breastfeed somewhere else."

Source: http://baby.about.com/od/breastfeeding/f/canada_breastfeeding_laws.htm

[witch_power]

OK, I am on the hunt now for Canadian Breastfeeding laws. To start, I found this from 2010:

Canadian Federal Laws and the Right to Breastfeed

When asked about the issue of breastfeeding in public in Canada, breastfeeding support groups typically point to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (comparable to the U.S. Bill of Rights). The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees "gender equity," and it is on that clause that most breastfeeding rights advocates hang their hat.

Breastfeeding Laws in British Columbia and Ontario

On the provincial level, only two provinces have laws that protect a woman's right to breastfeed. British Columbia and Ontario have been pioneering there way in breastfeeding rights. In these provinces, not only is a woman's right to breastfeed anywhere at any time protected, it is also illegal to ask the mother to be discrete. The Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia states it this way, "Nursing mothers have the right to breastfeed their children in a public area, and it is discriminatory to ask them to cover up or breastfeed somewhere else."

Source: http://baby.about.com/od/breastfeeding/f/canada_breastfeeding_laws.htm

[witch_power]

From Infact Canada, Spring 2003:

Know your rights!

In Canada each province and territory has a Human Rights Code. These codes protect women from discrimination on the basis of sex. To date, only Ontario (http://www.ohrc.on.ca/english/guides/pregnancy-breastfeeding.shtml) and British Columbia specifically detail the rights of breastfeeding feeding mothers. These provisions include time, access and accommodation in the workplace and in public. Ontario has also has a policy on Discrimination Because of Pregnancy (http://www.ohrc.on.ca/english/publications/pregnancy-policy.shtml). Other provinces should take note.

Federally, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms also affords some protection. Section 15(1) states as follows:

·       15(1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.

·

To ensure that women receive full benefit of all Charter guarantees, gender equality is also enshrined in Section 28 of the Charter.           

·       28 Notwithstanding anything in this Charter, the rights and freedoms referred to in it are guaranteed equally to male and female persons. 

Source: http://www.infactcanada.ca/Breastfeeding_Rights.htm

[witch_power]

December 17, 2008

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) developed a Policy on Discrimination Because of Pregnancy and Breastfeeding (PDF document) which further explains the law and its interpretation and implementation. It clarifies that the protections for pregnancy include the post-natal period, which includes breastfeeding. The policy statement elaborates:

You have rights as a nursing mother. For example, you have the right to breastfeed a child in a public area. No one should prevent you from nursing your child simply because you are in a public area. They should not ask you to “cover up”, disturb you, or ask you to move to another area that is more “discreet”.

Read More: http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/resources/Policies/PolicyPregBreastfeedEN/pdf

[witch_power]

October 2007

Workplace breastfeeding and the law

In addition to the potential benefits, workplaces must support breastfeeding to stay in compliance with the law. The Ontario Human Rights Commission  states, “Women cannot be discriminated against in any way because they have chosen to breastfeed.” The employee and the employer need to collaborate on the arrangements to permit the mother to breastfeed upon her return to work (PDF, page 6 of 27).   

The Commission goes on to say that “Employees who require breaks, such as for pumping or breastfeeding, should normally be accorded those breaks, and not be asked to forgo normal meal breaks as a result, or work additional time to make up for the breaks, unless the employer can show undue hardship” (PDF, page 9 of 27).

Source: http://www.peelregion.ca/health/workplace/news/2007/oct07.htm

[skycheattraffic]

Excellent! Thank you! Boy am I happy that I live in Ontario :-D.