[wideawake]

There's a difference between "charged" and "sued" - which is it?

[GMMAC]

With quasi-judicial bodies like the so-called "Alberta Human Rights Commission" it's pretty much the same thing:
A "victim" goes before it and the "evil oppressor" is usually ordered under the full force of law both to desist in its politically incorrect conduct & to cut a sizable cheque to soothe the "victim's " hurt feelings.

Should the "evil oppressor" fail to comply, the full weight of the regular Courts - which are also the venue for any appeals of such rulings - are then brought to bear.

[Clive]

It is ostensibly "sued" -- but all that the "plaintiff" has to do is to file a complaint and the commission does the rest, including evidence gathering, preparation of witnesses and advocating the complaint before the tribunal, which is itself.

The "respondent" has all the burden of defending himself, including evidence gathering, preparation of witnesses, and paying for lawyers, totally unaided by the commission.

The proceedings can become protracted until the defendent decides that his choice is to bear a heavy cost or enter into a plea deal. The fine is usually less than the cost of defending the action so the defendent usually caves. He thereby brands himself as a violator of human rights and gives the commission ammunition to use against the next person or organization that it chooses to harrass.

Need I say that the composition of the commission is usually left wingers with an activist history.