PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 03, 2001 Canadian Cancer Society and Ontario Human Rights Commission Practice 'Legal' DiscriminationFORCES Toronto says that the CCS and OHRC knowingly practice 'Legal' Discrimination against Tobacco Smokers, by preventing Smokers from getting jobs, and preventing Smokers from filing official complaints about these blatant acts of discrimination. "Tobacco Smoking is not in the human rights code, but it should be", says Stephen Hartwell, Director of FORCES Toronto, local chapter of FORCES International, a global smokers rights organization. Stephen, and Pat Hagen, Director of FORCES Canada, were contacted recently by Mike Field, who, despite having sufficient experience and skills for a work-from-home position with the Canadian Cancer Society, was refused even the opportunity to apply because he smokes tobacco. Mike Field pleaded that he needs the job, seeing as how impossible it is for smokers to get work these days, pointing out that no one would be exposed to his smoke since he would be working from home, and even invited CCS to try help him quit smoking. CCS refused to consider anything Mike said, replying that the job listing specifically stated only non-smokers need apply, and that this was legally not a violation of the human rights code. Stephen contacted the Ontario Human Rights Commission and inquired if a minority group organization could file a complaint of employment discrimination and was told yes it could when said situation would affect every member of the minority group. So, he tried to do precisely that. BUT, when he gave the details of the reason for the complaint, Stephen was told he could Not file. The 'Intake' person even expressed her own hatred of smokers during the conversation, momentarily, then tried to pretend she did not, that the expression of hatred was meant as a joke. Some joke. The OHRC person need not have bothered to try to cover up her hatred, because unlike hatred of any other minority group, Hatred of Smokers is Not a Violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code. When Stephen then pointed out that a court in British Columbia had recently decided that smoking is a disability and therefore a violation of the BC Human Rights Code, he was told that Mike could file, but that FORCES Toronto could not file the complaint. When Stephen further pointed out that two anti-smoking organizations in British Columbia recently filed a complaint of employment discrimination against allowing accommodation of smokers, an OHRC code expert responded that tobacco smoking is not considered a disability in Ontario, and, FORCES Toronto could not file. He further said that Mike would be welcome to submit a personal request for a complaint, but, that because OHRC has no obligations to follow any court decision or code of any other Province in Canada, OHRC would then reject the request because the CCS in Ontario did Not violate the Ontario Human Rights Code. "The actions of the CCS and OHRC are Legally not violations of the Ontario Human Rights Code, but they Are Violations of Human Rights. Hatred is Hatred, whether a minority group is named or not. Their actions are "Legal Discrimination", and both organizations know this better than anyone. Tobacco is a legal product, so is
smoking it. Our taxes build society and help pay for CCS and OHRC. We put everyone on notice in Canada,
FORCES will do everything possible to get discrimination against the tobacco
smoking minority group into the Human Rights Codes of Canada", says Stephen.
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