To whom it may concern:
The recent case of Jenny Dionne and her banning from a Halifax bar was recently brought to my attention. I was not only dismayed but disgusted at the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission’s determination that Ms. Dionne had no case, particularly since, given the way she was treated and per the language of the Human Rights Act she most certainly does have a case.
The Human Rights Act states at its Purpose:
Purpose of Act
The purpose of this Act is to
- (a) recognize the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family;
- (b) proclaim a common standard for achievement of basic human rights by all Nova Scotians;
- (c) recognize that human rights must be protected by the rule of law;
- (d) affirm the principle that every person is free and equal in dignity and rights;
- (e) recognize that the government, all public agencies and all persons in the Province have the responsibility to ensure that every individual in the Province is afforded an equal opportunity to enjoy a full and productive life and that failure to provide equality of opportunity threatens the status of all persons; and
- (f) extend the statute law relating to human rights and to provide for its effective administration. 1991, c. 12, s. 1.
The way Ms. Dionne was treated was a shameful indignity. She is still very much entitled to the protections that any other person would have under the human rights act. I would like to point out that I suspect the reasoning for denying her the enforcement she requested is because one of the decision makers is assuming that obesity is a choice. That may or may not be, as it hasn’t been determined conclusively. On that same line of reasoning, it’s also fair to argue that religion is a choice. If she were banned from a bar because of her religion, would the decision have been the same, or, if the bouncer had told her to convert to the dominant religion, would you have advised her to do that because her religious belief was not manifested as a physical disability?
As a US neighbor, I’ve had to take a lot of mean-spirited teasing from Canadians, many Nova Scotians among them, about the provincial nature of my country – enough so that I don’t think too highly of them as individuals. I know Nova Scotia is a province, but actually being provincial? It’s not really establishing all that credit your country-fellows are taking. This decision of yours makes Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Canada look bad.
Please reconsider your decision, and read broadly and not just from one or two standard medical sources on obesity. It was a poor and probably emotionally and prejudice driven choice, but one that can be corrected.
Sincerely,
Fat Chic
