Resources

Caregiver Accommodation: The Final Answer

• August 5, 2014
• David Baker
• Comments Off on Caregiver Accommodation: The Final Answer

Toronto, ON, August 5, 2014 — The deadline for Canadian National Railways to appeal the case of Denise Seeley to the Supreme Court of Canada has passed. As a consequence her Federal Court of Appeal victory stands, confirming that every employer is obligated, pursuant to the Canadian Human Rights Act, to accommodate the family caregiving obligations of its employees. » Read the rest

Charter Challenge to Canada Student Loan Program

• July 31, 2014
• David Baker
• Comments Off on Charter Challenge to Canada Student Loan Program

This week the Toronto Star published the column “Deaf-blind woman tests Canada’s equality guarantee” (link to article). The column outlines the plight of Jasmin Simpson, who is blind and deaf and who graduated with 60% more student debt due to the increased time it took her to complete her B.S.W. » Read the rest

Communications and Disability Rights: How Litigation before the CRTC Can Make a Difference

• July 29, 2014
• David Baker
• Comments Off on Communications and Disability Rights: How Litigation before the CRTC Can Make a Difference

From The Silent Film to YouTube

This summer, Bakerlaw is pleased to host Julia Munk, Osgoode Hall Law School’s 2014 Kreppner Plater Fellowship winner. Julia is researching how effective advocacy before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) can make gains for the rights of persons with disabilities generally. » Read the rest

Student Loans a Major Source of Discrimination Against Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities

• July 16, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Student Loans a Major Source of Discrimination Against Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities

Toronto, ON, July 16, 2014 – Students with disabilities have significantly higher costs when attending post-secondary colleges and universities.  What is less well understood is that many students with disabilities are also burdened with significantly higher student debt to repay after leaving school. » Read the rest

Communications and Disability Rights: How Litigation before the CRTC Can Make a Difference

• July 11, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Communications and Disability Rights: How Litigation before the CRTC Can Make a Difference

This summer, Bakerlaw is pleased to host Julia Munk, Osgoode Hall Law School’s 2014 Kreppner Plater Fellowship winner. Julia is researching how effective advocacy before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) can make gains for the rights of persons with disabilities generally. » Read the rest

Environmental Issues and Disability Rights

• July 9, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Environmental Issues and Disability Rights

Toronto, ON, July 9, 2014 – Noise and chemicals are two ways in which our public and private institutions have been endangering the health of workers, residents and travelers.

bakerlaw was counsel to the West Toronto Diamond Community Group (WTDCG) in their successful efforts to stop Metrolinx’s use of high impact pile drivers in their assault on the low income residents of the Junction area of Toronto. » Read the rest

Human Rights Commission Releases Policy on Mental Illness and Addiction-based Discrimination

• June 19, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Human Rights Commission Releases Policy on Mental Illness and Addiction-based Discrimination

This week, the Ontario Human Rights Commission released its new “Policy on preventing discrimination based on mental health disabilities and addictions” (link to policy).  This much-needed policy will shed light on how to recognize the existence of a mental health disability and addiction, and a corresponding duty to accommodate, as well as the process of accommodation itself in these cases.   » Read the rest

Federal Court of Appeal Rules Employers Must Accommodate Childcare Obligations

• May 28, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Federal Court of Appeal Rules Employers Must Accommodate Childcare Obligations

Toronto, ON, May 27, 2014 — In a unanimous decision, the Federal Court of Appeal found that it is discriminatory for employers to refuse to accommodate employees with bona fide childcare obligations.  The Court upheld the decision of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal which ruled that Canadian National Railway (CN) discriminated against Denise Seeley by failing to accommodate her family obligations. » Read the rest

Good News About Special Education

• May 20, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Good News About Special Education

Toronto, ON, May 20, 2014 — It is frightening how many families have had their exceptional child excluded indefinitely from school, or have felt compelled to home school or privately educate their child because a publicly funded school did not meet their child’s needs.  » Read the rest

Devaluation of Persons with Disabilities Most Evident: The Case of Emergency Preparedness

• April 11, 2014
• BakerLaw
• Comments Off on Devaluation of Persons with Disabilities Most Evident: The Case of Emergency Preparedness

Toronto, ON, April 11, 2014 – I once heard Catherine Frazee speak at OISE about the ways Ontario’s emergency measures planning is based on an assumption that persons with disabilities are expendable.

The maritime code traditionally held that when grabbing life jackets or boarding life boats it was to be “women and children first.” » Read the rest