Friday, May 1, 2009

Court deems law biased against alcoholics, addicts

An Ontario law that excludes alcoholics and drug addicts from receiving long-term disability payments has been found to violate the provincial Human Rights Code.

The 3-0 decision issued this week is the latest court ruling in a 10-yearlong legal fight initiated in 1999 by Robert Tranchemontagne and Norman Werbeski, who both suffer from chronic alcoholism. A lawyer for the two men said the decision is legally sound and she hopes the province will "move on" instead of filing an appeal.

A spokeswoman for the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services declined to comment about the specifics of the ruling. "Our lawyers are in the process of reviewing it. We have not decided whether to file an appeal," said Sandy Mangat.

Whole Story
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/story.html?id=1529813

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Ron Payne
Welfare Legal