FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
17:00 EDT, August 26, 2010
TIM HORTONS HAS NOW ENTRAPPED AND EMBARRASSED THE BEST AND BRAVEST OF THE TORONTO POLICE SERVICES. CTV caught Toronto Police flat footed and red handed parking illegally in parking required for people with disabilities, our veterans and maturing parents.
Really, really dumb folks. Report to Superintendent Wes Ryan of
the Parking Enforcement – and Sgt. Blake of the Disabled Liaison
Unit for accessibility and sensitivity training.
However thoughtless, the Officers cannot be charged or completely faulted because the City of Toronto Planning Department and Tim
Hortons have also broken the law by failing to permanently erect the regulatory signage and enable its consequent enforcement.
This is also despite Tim Horton’s corporate agreement in the 2005 “Dining Out” inquiry with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
This agreement outlined the Ontario Human Rights position and expectations to have Tim Hortons stop discriminating against
people with disabilities, veterans and the maturing population.
The same agreement was to ensure the required provisions like accessible parking signs under the Planning Act, Highway Traffic
Act and Ontario Human Rights Code were put in place and enforced.
In 2005, Tim Hortons agreed to cease and desist and retrofit
existing facilities and today in 2010 eighty percent of
professionally evaluated “new builds” across Ontario do not meet
the minimum requirements of the Planning Act, Highway Traffic Act
and the commitments to the Ontario Human Rights Commission and
accountability thereof.
“As the Executive Director of the Institute of Canadian Justice it is now my responsibility to get the Province of Ontario, municipal
planning departments, and the likes of Tim Hortons to wake up and
smell the coffee” –states Gerald Parker. As a member of the
Ministry of Transportation Task Force in 1990, that engaged the
legislative amendments to require municipalities to permanently erect the regulatory signage by no later than 1991, Parker is
profoundly disgusted by the indifference of those that purport to
be government and industry leaders and acting in the publics interest saying one thing and doing something completely
different. “It makes a mockery of every Canadian and what Canada
is known to be. The reality is Canada’s public interest, safety and social and economic integration of its best, brightest and bravest citizens is being endangered by Tim Hortons and those they are all too often found taking photo-ops with”.
It is now 2010 and this issue is reflective of the fact that Canada is the last country in the western world to engage
meaningful accessibility legislation and demographic planning.
Parker further points out “that despite the Ontario governments political declarations and ongoing legislative efforts, Ministers
of the Crown, the Premiers Office and all too many municipalities across Ontario have continued to knowingly allow governmental
representatives and businesses like Tim Hortons to thwart the
superseding law and regulations. This systemically condoned practice is a prima facie breach of the public trust and
associated legal requirements”-states Gerald Parker Executive
Director of the Institute of Canadian Justice.
The Institute of Canadians Justice has now taken command of the case and is again putting Tim Hortons on notice for continuing to
knowingly and wilfully taking advantage of systemic failures and refusing the rule of law, human rights agreements and the rights
of our best, brightest and bravest.
“Tim Horton’s dangerous refusal to do what is right and necessary are testament, and all too characteristic, of the lack of
accountability and enforceability of provincial and municipal accessibility requirements and associated regulatory processes.
For the Province of Ontario to allow such unethical corporate arrogance and the suppression and manipulation of the public
interest is what is most concerning and is exactly why the Institute is engaging these matters at hand”-states Parker.
-End-
Contact
G Parker
INSTITUTE OF CANADIAN JUSTICE
47 Stratton Crescent
Whitby, Ontario L1R-1V5
Phone 905-493-0272
Cetll: 905-431-0035