The social, physical, political and economic separation of diverse groups of people, particularly referring to ideological and structural barriers to civil liberties, equal opportunity and participation by minorities within a majority racial, ethnic, religious, linguistic or social group.  Segregation may be a mutually voluntary arrangement but more frequently is enforced by the majority group and its institutions.

Sexism stems from a set of implicit or explicit beliefs, erroneous assumptions and actions based upon an ideology of inherent superiority of one gender over another and may be evident within organizational or institutional structures or programs, as well as within individual thought or behaviour patterns.  Sexism is any act or institutional practice, backed by institutional power which subordinates people because of gender.  While, in principle, sexism may be practiced by either gender, most of our societal institutions are still the domain of men and usually the impact of sexism is experienced by women.

is defined as feelings of attraction for the same sex, for the opposite sex or for both sexes, and does not require sexual activity or intimacy.

In generic terms, the failure to speak out or act, thereby causing harm to individuals or groups by maintaining silence or lack of action.  The term may also refer to the omission of minority groups from the media, educational or religious curricular  materials and from cultural and political foci.  The effects of sins of omission may be similar to the actual commission of blatantly hostile acts or even covert racist or sexist acts.

A concept premised upon the belief that each individual and group within society is to be given equal opportunity, fairness, civil liberties and participation in the social, educational, economic, institutional and moral freedoms and responsibilities valued by the society.

An Aboriginal person who is designated an "Indian" by the Indian Act, determining who can or cannot receive various rights or benefits conferred by the Act.

A fixed mental picture or image of a group of people, ascribing the same characteristic(s) to all members of the group, regardless of their individual differences. An over-generalization, in which the information or experience on which the image is based may be true for some of the individual group members, but not for all members.  Stereotyping may be based upon misconceptions, incomplete information and/or false generalizations about race, age, ethnic, linguistic, geographical or natural groups, religions, social, marital or family status, physical, developmental or mental attributes, gender or sexual orientation.

The institutionalization of discrimination through policies and practices which may appear neutral on the surface but which have an exclusionary impact on particular groups, such that various minority groups are discriminated against, intentionally or unintentionally.  This occurs in institutions and organizations where the policies, practices and procedures (e.g. employment systems - job requirements, hiring practices, promotion procedures, etc.) exclude and/or act as barriers to racialized groups. Systemic discrimination also is the result of some government laws and regulations.