Canadian Law

Human rights Scenarios

Read the following situations and answer the questions by Answering - Yes, No or Maybe. Give a brief explanation.

1. Josh, who is 18 years old, applies for a job as a clerk in a sporting goods store. The store manager is impressed with Josh's maturity and ability and says that he would like to hire him, subject to reference checks. Later, the manager calls Josh to say that he will not be hired. On checking his references with a former employer, the manager found out that Josh was convicted of reckless driving several times when he was younger. Has the store manager violated Josh's human rights by refusing to hire him?

2. Naomi and several of her friends play in a women's hockey league at the local community Centre. Whenever they play, the male rink attendants never give them their full allotted ice time. The attendants jeer every time one of the young women falls and there are often pin-up pictures of women in the dressing rooms. Naomi has complained but the manager has done nothing, saying that women should "stick to figure skating" and "leave hockey to the boys." Have the rink attendants violated the young women's human rights?

3. Maya and several Black friends go to a local restaurant after school. They are laughing and carrying on like others in the restaurant. Things start to get out of hand between their group and several White students sitting at another table. Food is thrown and the groups exchange angry remarks. When the restaurant staff ask Maya and her friends to leave the restaurant, they feel angry and discriminated against. Have the restaurant staff violated the group's human rights?

4. Last week, Amal and her friend Sean organized a school group to raise funds for AIDS research. Yesterday, on their desks, they both found crudely-drawn cartoons making fun of people who are gay and lesbian. Last night, several students shouting anti-gay comments verbally attacked them on the street opposite the school yard. Their teacher saw the cartoons and has heard rumor's of the verbal attack, but feels that nothing can be done because the attack took place off the school premises. Neither student has complained to school officials. Have the students violated Amal and Sean's human rights?

5. A local optician's office has an opening for a part-time receptionist. The position requires excellent communication skills, as the person will answer customers' telephone calls and receive patients who enter the clinic. Chantal, who was born and raised in Quebec City, applied for the job. The owner does not hire her, because she feels customers may not understand her because of her accent. Has the owner violated Chantal's human rights?

6. Last Saturday, Randy and his friends attended a movie theatre they had never been to before. The theatre staff told Randy, who uses a motorized wheelchair because he has muscular dystrophy, that he would either have to transfer into a theatre seat or watch the movie from the only area available for the wheelchairin front of the first row of seats. When he complained about this arrangement, the theatre staff told him he was entitled to the same service as everyone elsea ticket and a seat to watch the movie. Have the movie theatre staff violated Randy's human rights?