Facing discrimination

Faire face à la discrimination — Outil d'accompagnement JIRIS

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Facing discrimination

A support tool to understand what we are experiencing, name our needs and regain the power to act.

Before we begin

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What you are experiencing is real — and the law protects you

Discrimination is a unequal treatment based on a protected ground (origin, race, sex, gender, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, etc.). It is prohibited by the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms and by the Canadian Human Rights Act in many contexts.

This tool This does not replace legal counsel or a formal appeal.It helps you organize your experiences, distinguish facts from feelings, identify your rights, and pinpoint your support network. For effective legal recourse, consult a lawyer, a legal clinic, or the Commission for Human Rights and Youth Rights (CDPDJ) or the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

If you are experiencing a situation of violence, serious harassment or threats : 911 in case of emergency, 811 (Info-Social, 24/7, Québec), 988 (suicide prevention, 24/7, Canada).

Experiencing discrimination is not just an isolated event. It is often a repetition — a look, a word, a refusal, an exclusion — that accumulates and eventually weighs on self-esteem, health, and sense of belonging. This is neither hypersensitivity nor a fabrication.

This tool offers you to Name the situation, explore how it affects you, distinguish facts from interpretations, recognize your needs and rights, identify possible resources and recourse, and take a first concrete step towards empowerment.Whether this step is legal, collective, or personal — it's up to you.

You don't have to prove your experience to anyone here. You also don't have to decide today whether you want to file a complaint. The only objective is to give you back some flexibility.

⏱️ Durée estimée : 20 to 30 minutes. Take your time. Your answers are automatically saved in your browser and remain confidential.

Step 1 · Name

📝 The situation as I experienced it

Let's start by laying things out — without having to go into detail, without having to justify anything. Just to acknowledge what you're going through, in your own words.

What type of discrimination is this (or was this)? Check the boxes that apply, even partially.

You can leave all boxes unchecked. That's your right.

In what context did this happen? Examples: "At work", "At school", "In a home", "In a public service", "In a shop", "Online", "In the street", "Within my family", "In an administrative procedure".

When did this happen (approximately)? Examples: "Yesterday", "3 weeks ago", "It's been going on for months", "Several times", "Once, recently".

Is this an isolated event, or a pattern? This distinction may be important for a potential legal appeal.

On a scale of 0 to 10, how much of a burden does this represent for you right now?

0 = very light · 10 = very heavy. No judgment.

Step 2 · Explore

🌊 What it touches

Discrimination doesn't just hurt in the moment: it affects self-esteem, sense of belonging, and safety. Recognizing these impacts is already a step towards regaining some power.

How has this situation affected you? Check everything that resonates, even partially.

What emotions did this evoke? Examples: "Anger", "Sadness", "Shame", "Fear", "Feeling of injustice", "Exhaustion", "Discouragement", "Feeling of being alone".

How did your body react? Examples: tight throat, knotted stomach, trembling, heat, shock, urge to cry, difficulty breathing, headache.

How does this affect your life? Today — on a daily basis? Examples: "I avoid this place," "I sleep poorly," "I distrust everyone," "I question my place," "I have trouble concentrating."

🛑 Si la détresse est forte
Repeated discrimination can lead to profound exhaustion, even suicidal thoughts. This is not a sign of weakness; it's a response to accumulated stress. Talk about it: 811 (Info-Social), 988 (suicide prevention), or your doctor.

Step 3 · Distinguish

🔍 Facts and interpretations

Discrimination is often deliberately made ambiguous — "that's not what I meant," "you're exaggerating," "that's your interpretation." Distinguishing between facts and feelings helps to dispel the doubt that is being deliberately instilled.

💡 Pourquoi c'est utile
An appeal or procedure is based on observable facts What was said, written, done, when, by whom, in front of whom. Your feelings are real and important, but they won't be the ones that carry weight in a legal context. Distinguishing between them doesn't invalidate anything—it clarifies.

✅ What I know (facts)

Observable, verifiable, reproducible.

💭 My understanding of it (interpretations)

What I think it means — often right, but not yet proven.

Are there any concrete elements that you could gather? Examples: "Emails", "Screenshots", "Personal notes with dates", "The names of witnesses", "Administrative documents", "A medical file if there is an impact on health".

Do you know on which protected design Could discrimination be based on this? The Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms lists 14 specific grounds: race, colour, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age (except as provided by law), religion, political beliefs, language, ethnic or national origin, social condition, disability or means of overcoming it, pregnancy.

Step 4 · Needs

🌿 My needs and my rights

Facing discrimination also means claiming your place. This step helps you name what you need and recognize that some of these needs are actually rights.

🔑 Ce que la loi prévoit
In Quebec and Canada, discrimination is prohibited in several areas: job, accommodation, services publics, goods and services offered to the public, transport, educationThere are time limit To file a complaint (often 2 years in Quebec with the CDPDJ): it is useful to check quickly with a professional.

What would you need? NOW ? Check everything that resonates, even partially.

These needs, formulated more precisely:

What rights Do you think these things are at stake, or important to enforce? Examples: "To be treated with dignity", "Not to be dismissed for a prohibited reason", "To be protected at work", "To have an effective remedy", "To obtain redress", "That this never happens again".

What would you like? basically, get ? Examples: "That it be acknowledged", "An apology", "Reparation", "That the person stop", "A change in the environment", "Turning the page", "That others do not have to go through this".

What do you need? to protect youIn this process...? Examples: "Don't tell everyone," "Choose my moments to act," "Don't exhaust myself," "Be surrounded by people," "Take a step back," "Remind myself that I am not the problem."

Step 5 · Resources

🤝 Resources and support

Facing discrimination is exhausting if you do it alone. There are specialized resources—legal, community, union, psychological—to support you.

💡 Plusieurs voies existent
Depending on your situation: complaint to the CDPDJ, complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, recourse to the Human Rights Tribunal, union grievance, complaint to the CNESST (harassment), complaint to the Ombudsman, approach to a community organization, internal complaint within the organization, support from a lawyer or a legal clinicThese paths are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Which of these resources might be useful to you? Check what is realistic for your situation.

Which ones would you like to explore first?

Who can you count on in your current circle of acquaintances? Ex.: "A relative", "A friend", "A colleague", "A speaker", "A community", "No one at the moment" (this is also an answer).

Are there any concrete obstacles to these steps? Examples: "Fear of reprisals", "Fear of losing my job", "Delays", "Administrative burden", "Cost", "Fear of not being believed", "Fatigue", "Isolation".

🛑 Sur les délais
Appeals often have strict deadlinesIf you are considering a formal appeal, it is recommended that you check quickly You can consult a legal clinic, the CDPDJ (Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission), or a lawyer—even if you haven't made up your mind yet. Not deciding now doesn't mean you can't get informed now.

Step 6 · Take action

👣 First step towards empowerment

You don't need to decide everything today. A tiny, concrete action—even if it doesn't change the immediate situation—gets you moving again. And movement is already a form of power.

💡 La règle du pas protecteur
Choose a gesture Small, concrete, and without risk of reprisalsExamples: "Write down what happened, including dates," "Schedule a free information session," "Talk to someone you trust," "Call a helpline," "Visit the CDPDJ website," "Find out about the time limits." A step towards clarity, not necessarily towards conflict.

What would be your first step?

When could you do it? A specific moment, within a realistic timeframe.

Who or what would you need to stick to it? Optional — but often useful.

How will you take care of yourself if it's difficult or if the process drags on? Examples: "I will remember that it is not up to me to bear the shame," "I will ask for help," "I will allow myself breaks," "I will return to the essential: my dignity."

After this work, what is the perceived workload? NOW ?

No judgment. Simply observe, even a slight change.

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Your summary

Here is what you have put in order. This document belongs to you — you can reread it, print it, or bring it to an appointment with a legal clinic, the CDPDJ, a counselor or a trusted person.

🧭 Ressources à garder sous la main • Commission for Human Rights and Youth Rights (CDPDJ) — cdpdj.qc.ca — For situations under Quebec jurisdiction
• Canadian Human Rights Commission — For areas of federal jurisdiction
• Legal Clinic — Often free or low cost
• CNESST — Regarding harassment and discrimination in the workplace (Quebec)
• Your union — If you are a union member, he can accompany you
• Protector of the citizen — For public services
• 811 (Info-Social) — 24/7 psychosocial support (Quebec)
• 988 — Suicide Prevention (24/7, Canada)
• 911 — In case of emergency
• Community organizations — Specific to your situation (racism, LGBTQ+, disability, women, immigration, etc.)

Want to redo the exercise? Your current answers will be erased — remember to print or download your summary beforehand.