No Fly Lists and Discrimination
Canadians facing discrimination by being denied boarding on flights or zealously scrutinized at airports has been reported frequently in recent months.
Human Rights and Accessing Services
Canadians accessing federal services like airlines are protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act. A similar legislation, the Ontario Human Rights Code, exists provincially to protect individuals against discrimination by provincial services, like the TTC for example. These services cannot discriminate against an individual on the basis of age, race, religion, or gender – among others grounds.
If an individual is denied a service based on a prohibited human right, she can complain to the Canadian Human Rights Commission or the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
The individual must prove that she is a member of a protected group, like women, for example. She then must prove that she was denied a service or treated differently from others and the reason for the denial is because of her membership in the protected group i.e. because she is a woman.
No Fly Lists and Human Rights
In this situation, a man has complained to the Canadian Human Rights Commission that Air Canada prevented him man from flying because he is a Muslim, or because of his country of origin – Syria.
If Air Canada cannot prove that it had a legislative requirement to prevent him from boarding the plane, which is what they are arguing, then there would be a breach of the Canadian Human Rights Act.
If you have experienced discrimination in accessing any public service, you may have a human rights claim. If you would like to speak to a lawyer at MacLeod Law Firm, we would be happy to assist you. Please contact us at [email protected] or 647-204-8107.
The material and information in this blog and this website are for general information only. They should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. The authors make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of any information referred to in this blog or its links. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found on this website or blog. Readers should obtain appropriate professional advice from a lawyer duly licensed in the relevant jurisdiction. These materials do not create a lawyer-client relationship between you and any of the authors or the MacLeod Law Firm.
Recent Posts
Recent Posts
Justice for Unionized Employees
Unionized employees often seek our advice regarding human rights issues in their workplace. Sometimes this is because human rights violations have occurred and the union is not assisting them. Other times, the union itself may be part of the problem. The rights of...
Employee Entitlements Upon Termination
Termination is a stressful experience for any employee. An employee who has been fired needs to understand what their employer owes them, and what their employer is offering them. When employers do not make this clear, additional damages could be due to the employee....
Notice of Termination: Appeal Court Weighs in
When terminated, an employee should generally receive reasonable notice of termination or pay instead of notice. This is unless the employee has signed a contract that contains an enforceable termination clause (which we’ve written about here). The calculation of the...