An organization that serves as a support centre for blind Canadians is weighing in on Jack Mortimer's story.
Mortimer, a blind 82-year-old Sundre resident, was recently denied accommodations with his guide dog Rufus at the Mountain View Seniors' Housing (MVSH) Foothills Lodge.
After Mortimer went public with his story, MVSH officials said they would allow both Mortimer and Rufus to reside at the lodge in two to three months' time.
“The real story here is that an Albertan has been denied his most fundamental rights – for the sole reason that he is blind and relies on a guide dog for assistance,” reads a press release from CNIB Alberta and Northwest Territories.
“CNIB Alberta and Northwest Territories is calling on Mountain View Seniors' Housing to immediately reverse their position on accommodating qualified guide dogs and abide by provincial legislation that protects the rights of Albertans who are blind or partially sighted.”
CNIB is a registered charity that aims to provide a national voice for blind Canadians to ensure they have the confidence, skills and opportunities to fully participate in life.
“Guide dogs are not pets. They are highly-trained working animals that help provide mobility, safety and increased independence for people with vision loss,” said John McDonald, executive director and regional vice-president of CNIB Alberta and Northwest Territories.
“They receive formal training that can cost tens of thousands of dollars and they become an extension of their handlers.”
Rufus is a certified Seeing Eye dog trained through the International Guide Dog Federation. Mortimer has owned him for 10 years.
“Organizations like CNIB have worked tremendously hard to remove barriers for people with disabilities,” said McDonald.
“Here in our province, the Blind Persons' Rights Act protects the rights of Albertans who are blind or partially sighted, including those who use guide dogs.”
Mortimer applied for a unit at the lodge in January. About a week later, he received a letter from Michele Langmead, admissions counsellor at Foothills Lodge, stating that Mortimer was accepted, but not Rufus.
“If you wish to make alternate living arrangements for the care of your dog then you would be able to move into the lodge when a suite becomes available. Your dog would be able to visit you at the lodge for short periods of time as long as you were able to manage his care during his visits,” the letter states.
According to Cheryl Chichak, public affairs officer with Alberta Human Services, as long as the guide dog is trained by a school that is certified by the International Guide Dog Federation, the dog should be able to reside anywhere.
She said a person who violates the Alberta Blind Persons' Rights Act could be fined up to $3,000.
Section 5 (2) of the act reads as follows:
“No person, directly or indirectly, alone or with another, by himself or herself or by the interposition of another, shall (a) deny to any person occupancy of any self-contained dwelling unit, or (b) discriminate against any person with respect to any term or condition of occupancy of any self-contained dwelling unit, for the reason that the person is a blind person keeping or customarily accompanied by a guide dog.”
Mortimer met personally with Sam Smalldon, MVSH chief administrative officer on Feb. 20, when Smalldon said both Mortimer and Rufus would be put on the waiting list for a unit at the lodge.
Smalldon said MVSH initially decided Rufus could not reside at the lodge because there is currently no policy in place to allow guide dogs to reside in any of their buildings. The only policy they have in place regarding animals is a pet policy, and no pets are allowed. He said the MVSH board of directors is currently working on putting a policy in place.
“We have addressed the situation with him (Mortimer). He has been accommodated. But there is a process,” said Smalldon.
“He is currently on our wait-list for both himself and his guide dog.”
