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Canada: Tribunal to rule on guide dog vs. religion (Muslim cabbie refused service to infidel w/ dog)
North Shore News (Vancouver B.C.) ^ | November 15, 2006 | Jane Seyd

Posted on 11/18/2006 5:52:13 PM PST by Stoat

Tribunal to rule on guide dog vs. religion

Jane Seyd

jseyd@nsnews.com

A case potentially pitting rights of the disabled against religious beliefs will be heard by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal after a blind man from the North Shore who uses a guide dog to get around launched a complaint against North Shore Taxi.

Bruce Gilmour filed the complaint after a cab driver from North Shore Taxi refused to let his guide dog into the cab in January of this year. Gilmour, who says it's not the first time he's been refused service by a taxicab, is complaining that North Shore taxi discriminated against him on the basis of physical disability.

But the taxi driver, Behzad Saidy, is arguing his Muslim religious beliefs will not allow him to take dogs in his taxi, because Muslims can't associate with dogs.

According to documents filed with the Human Rights Tribunal, North Shore Taxi said about half of their drivers are "unable to take animals in their taxis due to medical or religious reasons."

The taxi company asked the human rights tribunal to toss the case against it out. But tribunal member Lindsay Lyster ruled recently it is important that the case be heard, saying the case presents "important and difficult issues" for the tribunal to resolve including both the rights of blind people to equal services and the rights of employees to have their religious beliefs accommodated.

The taxi company says another driver was sent out to get Gilmour right after the first driver refused to let the guide dog in the car.

Gilmour and the taxi driver disagree on what was said about the dog at the time.

Saidy has told the Human Rights Tribunal he told Gilmour at the time that he was refusing because of religious beliefs.

But Gilmour's lawyer Nazeer Mitha said all the driver said to Gilmour was, "No dogs, no dogs," before driving away. The first Gilmour heard about religious objections was after he filed a formal complaint, said Mitha.

Since then, the taxi driver has filed a statement from a Muslim cleric stating that Islam has some restrictions towards certain animals, including dogs.

But Mitha says Gilmour has also filed a statement from a different Muslim cleric, stating that there can be exceptions to blanket refusals to deal with dogs, especially if it means helping someone in need. Mitha said all that would be required in most circumstances would be for a Muslim person to wash their hands before eating if they have been in contact with a dog.

"That's not a terrible task to go through," he said.

Lyster said the case is made more complicated by the fact that "different Islamic people may hold different beliefs about appropriate conduct in relation to dogs."

Mitha says it's not the first time Gilmour's been refused service by taxi drivers because of his guide dog. "It happens to him very frequently," both on the North Shore and elsewhere, he said.

Mitha said the real reason this happens probably doesn't have anything to do with religion. "People don't want dogs in their cabs," he said. Under legislation, however, cab drivers must be willing to take certified assistance dogs.

North Shore taxi and company lawyer William McLachlan refused to comment further on the case.

The Human Rights Tribunal hearing is scheduled for next summer.



TOPICS: Canada; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bc; britishcolumbia; canada; islam; muslim; muslims; thingsmuslimshate; tolerance; vancouver
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To: Stoat

That's a company NOT to call for a ride!


21 posted on 11/18/2006 6:17:26 PM PST by B4Ranch (Illegal immigration Control and US Border Security - The jobs George W. Bush refuses to do.)
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To: Stoat

I knew they had a problem with pigs and women who had been victimized by rape, but dogs?? I just bought my mutts an I Bite Liberals t-shirt. Wonder if there is a Pet Me if You're Muslim t-shirt.


22 posted on 11/18/2006 6:17:31 PM PST by PistolPaknMama (Al-Queda can recruit on college campuses but the US military can't! --FReeper airborne)
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To: Stoat
Gilmour and the taxi driver disagree on what was said about the dog at the time.

Let's ask the dog, since it was all about him. I trust the dog more than the cab driver.

23 posted on 11/18/2006 6:19:57 PM PST by 300winmag (Overkill never fails)
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To: Dov in Houston
He would never get away with that in a Houston cab. It's common knowledge what "family" owns Yellow cab here.

Are we talking "The Family"? Not in Houston, so not familiar with the local situations.

24 posted on 11/18/2006 6:20:33 PM PST by conservative cat
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To: RighteousMomma
Maybe cats?

"Muezza was the favourite cat of the prophet Mohammed. It is said that he loved his cat so much that when Muezza was asleep on the sleeve of his robe one day, and Mohammed was called to prayer, rather than disturb him he cut off the sleeve leaving the cat snoozing in peace."

25 posted on 11/18/2006 6:22:01 PM PST by Capt. Tom (Don't confuse the Bushies with the dumb Republicans - Capt. Tom)
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To: Stoat

""" Mitha said all that would be required in most circumstances would be for a Muslim person to wash their hands before eating if they have been in contact with a dog.

"That's not a terrible task to go through," he said. """




All depends ...


26 posted on 11/18/2006 6:22:36 PM PST by UpAllNight
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To: Stoat
Mitha says it's not the first time Gilmour's been refused service by taxi drivers because of his guide dog. "It happens to him very frequently," both on the North Shore and elsewhere, he said.

Mitha said the real reason this happens probably doesn't have anything to do with religion. "People don't want dogs in their cabs," he said. Under legislation, however, cab drivers must be willing to take certified assistance dogs.

27 posted on 11/18/2006 6:23:16 PM PST by sangfroid
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To: All

Didn't we just see this movie in Minneapolis? Only with packaged liquor. You generally have to be licensed by a public agency to operate a cab, and there are all kinds of anti-discrimination laws that have been enacted so you cannot discriminate against the handicapped.

If you don't want to pick up riders with a bottle of liquor or a blind person with a guide dog, then don't drive a cab.


28 posted on 11/18/2006 6:27:57 PM PST by sandbox
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To: conservative cat

Yes we are talking about the "family."


29 posted on 11/18/2006 6:29:49 PM PST by Dov in Houston
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To: EagleUSA
These Islamics will stop at nothing to force their perverted "religion" (cult) behaviors on OUR SOCIETY. Wake up America before it is too late....(wanna look like France or Britain??)

This last election gives me great concern that too many people are not taking issues such as culture and borders anywhere near as seriously as they should.

30 posted on 11/18/2006 6:30:11 PM PST by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: All

Dogs are dirty? Well so are camels, chickens, I'm getting confused.


31 posted on 11/18/2006 6:32:52 PM PST by sandbox
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To: Stoat

This last election gives me great concern that too many people are not taking issues such as culture and borders anywhere near as seriously as they should.
-----
That, sir, is a massive understatement. America's values, principles, soverignty and culture are dying because of complacent, ignorant, self-serving voters who don't have a clue about what they are doing. Yes, this last election proved that without ANY doubt.


32 posted on 11/18/2006 6:33:03 PM PST by EagleUSA
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To: MrBambaLaMamba

Because their belief in the “pig” thing is a false belief (hell for those that touch anything to do with pork), unless you announce that the money you give them is covered in bacon grease, it would mean nothing. They would not be the wiser and their final destination would be up to GOD … not the bacon grease.

Leaving a ham sandwich in the cab is a great idea, however. Tangible evidence of “pork in the cab”.


33 posted on 11/18/2006 6:34:07 PM PST by doc1019
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To: metmom
But the taxi driver, Behzad Saidy, is arguing his Muslim religious beliefs will not allow him to take dogs in his taxi, because Muslims can't associate with dogs.

Well, I thought they weren't supposed to associate with infidels but that apparently hasn't stopped him from living here or taking other infidels money.
 

He won't get any of my money, nor the money of anyone whom I speak with about this.


34 posted on 11/18/2006 6:35:28 PM PST by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: RighteousMomma

They hate dogs.
I don't know about cats.

But another thing a fair number of Muslims hate are...neckties.
(check out the President of Iran...never a necktie)

(repost from previous thread)
Google "with all the words" option, set at 100 results;
"banned" "neckties" "cross" "Muslim"

Here is an excerpt from the top hit:

And what about neckties? They are banned in Iran as "a sign of the cross" and in Saudi Arabia as a Zoroastrian symbol, smuggled into Islam by Jaafar Barmaki, the Persian vizier of the caliph Harun al-Rashid. Would France want to ban neckties as well?

http://www.nationalreview.com/nr_comment/taheri200402031111.asp


35 posted on 11/18/2006 6:37:14 PM PST by VOA
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To: RighteousMomma
The more you read, the more you learn... This religion that can't abide dogs... Let's you know that the followers are really sick...

And breathtakingly arrogant.

Maybe cats?

I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing that any 'religion' as screwed-up as this one is MUST be against Viking Kitties as well

img72/1836/catnosevivy3.jpg

36 posted on 11/18/2006 6:40:33 PM PST by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: doc1019
"...Leaving a ham sandwich in the cab is a great idea..."

What about a "Koran" sandwich with bacon stuffing?

37 posted on 11/18/2006 6:42:09 PM PST by MrBambaLaMamba (Buy 'Allah' brand urinal cakes - If you can't kill the enemy at least you can piss on their god)
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To: PistolPaknMama
I knew they had a problem with pigs and women who had been victimized by rape, but dogs??

Evidently in the koran, mohammed ordered all dogs be killed because they are unclean.

38 posted on 11/18/2006 6:45:44 PM PST by doc30 (Democrats are to morals what an Etch-A-Sketch is to Art.)
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To: muawiyah
This has nothing whatsoever to do with the dog. Rather, it's about the fact the passenger is handicapped.

In Islam, in general, the handicapped, mentally retarded, and those with birth defects are treated as though they are personally at fault for their problems.

The Islamic belief is that the injured person has sinned, or his mother or father sinned, and he is guilty.

Fascinating.  I hadn't heard this before but it certainly falls in line with their other idiotic beliefs.  It's reminiscent of Nazism....the disabled and the mentally challenged were part of the focus of the Final Solution.

It's the sort of attitude that is not compatible with life in the West, and anyone who wants to hold to it should go back home

Agreed, and I would suggest screening them out upon entry as well.

39 posted on 11/18/2006 6:45:55 PM PST by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: Stoat

I got better idea just fire this bozo

He doesn't like it TOUGH S***T


40 posted on 11/18/2006 6:47:35 PM PST by SevenofNine ("Step aside Jefe"=Det Lennie Briscoe)
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