Vegan Ontario firefighter files human rights complaint over food served while battling B.C. wildfire

An Ontario firefighter alleges his human rights were violated when he was not provided sufficient vegan food while battling a massive blaze in British Columbia. Adam Knauff has filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario against his employer, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, over his treatment and subsequent suspension while fighting a fire near Williams Lake, B.C., in 2017. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry discriminated against me and failed to accommodate my sincerely held ethical beliefs (creed) when it failed to provide me with food that accommodated my personal commitment to ethical veganism, and then disciplined me and suspended me because I attempted to assert my right to accommodation of that sincerely held ethical belief, he wrote in his application to the tribunal. The ministry, in its response, denied Knauffs allegations of discrimination and human rights violations. The case centres on whether veganism is a form of creed the definition of which was expanded by the Human Rights Tribunal in 2015 to include non-secular beliefs.

Knauff, based in Kenora, Ont., has worked with the ministry since 2008 and is often dispatched outside the province. He filed the complaint based on the grounds that his creed was not accommodated. I am an ethical vegan in that I not only follow a vegan diet, but I extend the philosophy of non-consumption of animal products to all other areas of my life, he wrote. I do not think that humans have the moral right to oppress other beings, or to cause them pain and suffering. Knauff, now 40, arrived in northern B.C. on July 15, 2017, and was one of about 1,000 firefighters battling a massive forest fire working 14 to 16 hours per day. About 10,000 homes were evacuated in Williams Lake, and the only store open was a Tim Hortons that police were helping run, he wrote in his complaint. He said the ministry had long known about his dietary constraints, and he had also filled out a standard food information form for the trip. On some days during my deployment to Williams Lake, I was not provided with any food that was vegan or not otherwise contaminated with animal products, and therefore forced to go hungry, he wrote. On July 16, he ate salad and side dishes. The next day, he wrote, there were no vegan meals, so he ate plain bagels and coffee from Tim Hortons. The day after that he was given beans, oatmeal and fruits. After working 16-hour days for four days with inadequate nutrition I began to feel physically ill and mentally groggy, Knauff wrote. Until that point I had been trying to push through my hunger and exhaustion, sustaining myself on nuts and fruits. He asked for personnel to buy tofu during one of their service runs. He got three blocks of tofu, gave it to the camps chef, but never saw it again, he wrote. Things came to a head on July 23 when he was looking forward to a big barbecue dinner, where vegan burgers would be served. But, he wrote, the chef handled beef patties before touching the vegan patties with the same gloved hands. Knauff said he swore at the chef, who swore back. His supervisor gave him a warning, he wrote. No one seemed to take my ethical beliefs seriously, he wrote. The next night at dinner, he was served stir-fry with no protein. He was promised beans the following day, he wrote. He took his plate to his supervisor and asked him if he could see any protein on his plate. The supervisor offered him protein bars. I was upset and told him no, and then he told him with a curse word to fix the problem. 3 I know that I should not have sworn but I was starving, exhausted, humiliated and defeated, he wrote. I had reached my breaking point. But the real breaking point came the next day when he picked up his lunch, where, he alleged, half of the food was non-vegan. He poured it out in front of food staff and said, repeatedly, this isnt vegan. Thats when his supervisor sent him home. The ministry says Knauff was sent home and suspended three days without pay due to his inappropriate, insubordinate, unprofessional and aggressive behaviour. He was also banned from fighting fires outside the province for the remainder of 2017 and all of 2018. The ministry also alleges Knauff threw the non-vegan food at staff, which Knauff denies. Base camp was difficult for all involved, as was trying to feed 1,000 firefighters with the closest towns with open stores hours away, the ministry says. It also argues that Knauffs vegan status is a sincerely held lifestyle choice, but does not meet the legal definition of creed. It further argues that it supported the employee and accommodated his food restrictions as if it were a component of his health needs or part of a recognized creed. Camille Labchuk, the executive director of the advocacy group Animal Justice, said it hopes to intervene in the case because veganism in the workplace isnt limited to Knauff. Ethical veganism has never been ruled a form of creed, Labchuk said. This is a test case, but its important to have a clear statement from the tribunal.

READ THE ARTICLE AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

Q1: Summarize the article and outline the main facts (five points)

Q2: Since human rights in the workplace is the source of the employees complaint, indicate which prohibited ground the individual is challenging and make the connection (two points)

Q3: Do you agree with the complainant that this issue is of concern for the employer? Do you think that this complaint would be successful under the law? Explain (three points)

Q4: Provide three messages that an employer might consider sharing with the media in reaction to an article like this. (three points)

Q5: If you decided to address this complaint or if you were ordered to do so by an adjudication, what steps would you take in the workplace? Mention the legal terminology that relates to your approach. (five points)

Q6: Speak generally about the awareness human resources professionals should have about emerging human rights issues and the value that having a proactive approach has to an organization. (two points)

Be sure to explain your logic in answering each one of these questions.