Ms. Johnstone filed her complaint under the provisions of the Canadian Human Rights Act RSC 1985 c H-6 [the Act] which prohibits discrimination on the basis of family status in matters relating to employment. She contended that her employer, the Canadian Border Services Agency [CBSA], engaged in a discriminatory employment practice with respect to family status, specifically, in relation to her parental childcare obligations. Ms. Johnstone had been working as a border services officer on rotating shifts. She requested full-time employment working fixed day shifts that would allow her to arrange childcare for her young children. CBSA policy limited fixed day shifts as requested by Ms. Johnstone to part-time employment. Consequently, Ms. Johnstone was not eligible for benefits available to full time CBSA employees.

The Tribunal found Ms. Johnstone had proven prima facie employment discrimination on the basis of family status contrary to the Act and decided the CBSA had not proven hardship for the employer necessary to exempt the CBSA from its obligation to accommodate for family status. The Applicant contests whether the term “family status” in the Act includes parental childcare obligations. It submits childcare is not included in the term “family status”. The Applicant also challenges the Tribunal’s legal test for finding prima facie discrimination based on family status. Finally, the Applicant contests several remedial orders of the Tribunal.

On the central questions, the Court concluded the Tribunal reasonably found parental childcare obligations comes within the scope and meaning of “family status” in the Act. It also concluded the Tribunal applied the proper legal test for its finding of prima facie discrimination on the basis of family status. Finally, the Court was satisfied the Tribunal finding that the CBSA discriminated against Ms. Johnstone on the basis of family status to be reasonable having regard to the evidence before the Tribunal.