North Shore News – November 15, 2006:
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.”
why because they eat them?!?!?
Oh and about Canada, they are already caving in. The Muslims get to use Shrill’iea Law up there and they are being allowed to set up Muslim exclusive neighborhoods in Europe. That’s real diversity in action.
3. I can’t answer that, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it did. I’m sure there’s something similar on pigs. Which raises an interesting point. Man jumps into cab driven by Muslim and starts munching on pork rinds…
Anyway, I can tell you there are no dogs to be found in Saudi Arabia (that I know of. ‘Course, it might be like there is “no booze” in Saudi Arabia too.) So they seem to be pretty strict about it all.
Except… Except… one type of dog. Isn’t that interesting. It’s a dog called a Saluki dog – a small game hunting and retrieval dog. They are permitted. Don’t know the whole story on that.
One little digression while on the topic of pets over there in the Kingdom. There’s lots of cats. And I for a while I wondered why you’d find them outside lying right at the base of doors where they could easily get hit by an opening door. Answer: the little bit of air conditioning that seeped under the door.
RBG
Shar’ia law is limited to Ontario, afaik. I know it was outright rejected in many provinces, including BC, and certainly holds no federal authority. Even in Ontario – if it still exists – it is editorially under attack.
RBG
OK this is really stupid!!
I’m a 19 year old muslim and there’s no such thing in the religion that doesnt let a muslim give a ride to a dog. (be it any other animal, a pig even). Especially when the poor person is BLIND!!!!
At times, hearing such stuff is extremely sad!!!
Muslims: you aren’t allowed to EAT the pig. And its not advisable to EAT a dog either. BUT come on!!! Some of you tend to take it too far. Just because you’re stupid doesnt mean you can easily brush it off and blame it on religion: “oh, my religion forbids it” … and then give the majority of us a bad name! *grumble grumble*
*coughs* same is the case with the veil issue. Stupid women with extreme inferiority complexes!!
37 … and then give the majority of us a bad name! *grumble grumble*
Yeah, I was thinking about that when reading this story – especially this section:
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.
Christianity, Islam, etc all encompass various sub-groups, which have internal dissention inside those groups… i.e. Episcopal church in-fighting regarding gay and female clergy.
But headlines tend to paint such groups with a broad, all-encompassing brush… 🙁
34,
All religious legal courts were struck down in Ontario… Christianity, Islamic and Judaic.
ok – pet pigs i can see why they wouldnt want those… but DOGS?!!?! wtf
and to #19 – what about radio controlled animals 😉
#34, You are full of racist bull crap. That is quite simply NOT TRUE.
OFTLO
I don’t remember where you drove, I think it might have been Minneapolis. In many jurisdictions I believe there are regulations for getting a Cab License. Most of these regulations require not only a knowledge of the city, but also requirements on discrimination. I agree that the driver has the right to refuse a fare under most circumstances, that right doesn’t include discrimination on religious, disability, sex, race, religion, etc.
Where I grew up, cabbies had to take a test in order to obtain a license. I don’t know about North Vancouver though. I would believe that the British Columbia Human Rights laws would prohibit discrimination on the bases of having a guide dog.
Gilmour is quoted as saying the cabbie simply yelled out to him, “No Dogs! No Dogs!” and then drove off. I wonder if he actually knew Gilmour was blind?
If Islam has no restrictions about being in close contact with dogs, why do the Saudis not associate with or have them? Is it like the veil issue that has its roots more in custom than religious dogma? (There was a good joke potential in that last statement, wasn’t there?)
You’d think the cab associations and regulations would have already contemplated such scenarios and have rules on such things already in place. Or alternatively, each cabbie must make full disclosure, via a check list, of any restrictions – religious, health, etc. – that might be relevant to the job.
RBG
Much like abortion and gay marriage which do not appear in the Christian Bible, hatred or shunning of dogs is not in the Qur’aan, but is rather a matter of Shar’ia. This is just another example of how organized religion corrupts matters of spirtual unity with God into irrational hatred of people or creatures.
#43 – Or alternatively, each cabbie must make full disclosure, via a check list, of any restrictions – religious, health, etc. – that might be relevant to the job.
It’s not a job. Cabbies are their own bosses.
And I’m blown away that Republicans and/or conservatives are eager to regulate cab drivers. Or is it that you only oppose regulations that effects a chemical plant’s ability to dump toxins in a river or a CEOs ability to to be paid an 8 figure salary?
I’m not condoning this jack-ass cabbie’s actions… But you know… You just can’t tell these guys what to do. They don’t work for anyone but themselves.
#46 – Oh… Well in Canada…. I asked around and I was told Canada is a communist nation…
That’s why I take gypsy cabs everywhere I go 🙂
And really… Are you in support of all these regulations?
Convoluted bureaucratic regulation is the backbone of Democracy.
RBG
#48 – I cannot – and will not – argue against you on that point 🙂
You know… Despite the fact that you spend so much time being wrong, you are still invited to all my backyard barbeques and you are on the Christmas card list… permanantly 😉
The cab driver was probably afraid of the dog. He could not find any other reason. Otherwise muslims have been keeping dogs even for hunting.
Rich, John Henri Allyn, Vic
You three are ignorant racist pricks. We are ALL immigrants here idiots. You three probably have KKK blood in you guys. We ALL have freedom of speech, including the cab driver. So get used to it. This is AMERICA
51. “We ALL have freedom of speech, including the cab driver.”
You’re right. Cab drivers have the right to speak their mind. But first, no one has any duty to listen. Second, they have no right to speak their mind while at work unless their employer lets them. And third, refusing to do their job is NOT speech, you ignorant bitch. God, you’re such a fucking moron!
If a cabbie refuses to pick up riders, he should quit or be fired. There is no other option.
to be a taxicab driver is a decent job, but to have the attitude, it depends on the person. not all drivers sucks!!!