{"id":6746,"date":"2020-01-02T20:06:28","date_gmt":"2020-01-03T01:06:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/a-closer-look-at-the-rights-of-people-with-allergies\/"},"modified":"2021-11-06T10:23:20","modified_gmt":"2021-11-06T14:23:20","slug":"a-closer-look-at-the-rights-of-people-with-allergies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/a-closer-look-at-the-rights-of-people-with-allergies\/","title":{"rendered":"A Closer Look at the Rights of People with Allergies"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6746\" class=\"elementor elementor-6746 elementor-3711\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4f8155fc elementor-section-full_width mep3col elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4f8155fc\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2fe084c6 elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-hidden-phone\" data-id=\"2fe084c6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1072e87\" data-id=\"1072e87\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d477f01 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"d477f01\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-22b229e\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>2 January 2020<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b1000a5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3b1000a5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2><strong>It is estimated that 7% of Canadians live with a food allergy, representing nearly one in ten people [1]. Although normal, their lives are complicated by the ever-present risk of exposure to an allergen that could be fatal to them. They work, they spend time in public places and they are an integral part of society. But do they have the same rights as others?<\/strong><\/h2><h3>A question of discrimination<\/h3><p>The highly publicized case of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em>Simon-Pierre Canuel [hyperlien](in French)<\/em><\/span>, a man severely allergic to seafood and salmon who was mistakenly served a salmon tartar in a Sherbrooke restaurant, has sparked a debate on the rights of allergic people when frequenting public places.<\/p><p>Section 15 of the <a href=\"http:\/\/legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca\/en\/showdoc\/cs\/C-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms<\/a> stipulates that \u201cNo one may, through discrimination, inhibit the access of another to public transportation or a public place, such as a commercial establishment, hotel, restaurant, theatre, cinema, park, camping ground or trailer park, or his obtaining the goods and services available there.\u201d<\/p><p>According to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdpdj.qc.ca\/en\/droits-de-la-personne\/pratiques\/Pages\/discrimination.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission<\/a> (Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse du Qu\u00e9bec), discrimination occurs when an individual is treated differently on account of personal characteristics, such as race, sex, or disability.<\/p><p>Therefore, if it leads to discrimination, a food allergy can be considered a disability. Being denied access to a particular service because of a food allergy could, therefore, constitute a form of discrimination on a case-by-case basis.<\/p><h3>Food allergy and access to public places<\/h3><p>As mentioned above, denying a person access to a public place on the grounds of them having a food allergy is discriminatory and goes against section 15 of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.<\/p><p>With that in mind, it is the allergic person\u2019s responsibility to assess the risk and determine whether it is safe for them to visit the place in question, and if it is a restaurant, whether it is safe or not to eat there.<\/p><p>It\u2019s important to remember that there is a body of case law dealing<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em> with food allergies [2] [hyperlien](in French)<\/em><\/span>,. However, it revolves around food catering contexts and plaintiffs being mistakenly told that their food did not contain particular allergens, causing them to have allergic reactions.<\/p><p>It is well known that daycares that have allergic children under their care must have a procedure in place in the event of an anaphylactic reaction. But could they refuse to accept a child with allergies?<\/p><p>The answer is not straightforward. Refusing a child on the grounds that they have allergies is discriminatory, except in cases where the daycare is not able to provide the child a safe environment, in which case refusal is legal.<\/p><p>On a more positive note, parents whose child lives with food allergies may be eligible, under certain conditions, for financial assistance (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rrq.gouv.qc.ca\/en\/programmes\/soutien_enfants\/supplement\/Pages\/supplement.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">i.e. supplement for handicapped children<\/a>). An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mfa.gouv.qc.ca\/fr\/publication\/Documents\/SF_integration_enfant_handicape_ang.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">allowance to facilitate integration of disabled children into childcare facilities<\/a>\u00a0 may also be granted to daycares when the child meets certain conditions. The objective here is to help families, to facilitate the child\u2019s integration, and to ensure their safety.<\/p><p>With regard to the rights of allergic workers, there is no obligation for an employer to put measures in place to reduce the risk of allergen contamination in the workplace [3]. On the other hand, all companies in Qu\u00e9bec are subject to the First-aid Minimum Standards Regulation, which stipulates that employers must \u201cmake sure that at least one first-aider is present at all times during working hours.\u201d The required number of first-aiders on site depends on the number of employees.<\/p><p>As you can see, the guidelines are not always clear when it comes to the rights of allergic people in society. It seems that the law, which operates on a case-by-case basis, has not kept up with the current knowledge on food allergies.<\/p><p>Of course, it is primarily up to the allergic person to ensure their own safety, whether at home or in a public place. On the other hand, under no circumstances should a food allergy constitute grounds for discrimination. If you feel that your rights are being violated because you live with food allergies, do not hesitate to contact the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdpdj.qc.ca\/en\/Pages\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission.\u00a0<\/a><\/p><p>[1] Soller, L. et coll. (2012). Overall Prevalence of Self-reported Food Allergy in Canada. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 130(4):986-8. DOI : 10.1016\/j.jaci.2012.06.029<br \/>[2] Selon le <a href=\"https:\/\/www.avocat.qc.ca\/faq\/faq_systeme.htm#Jurisprudence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">R\u00e9seau juridique du Qu\u00e9bec<\/a>, la jurisprudence \u00ab repr\u00e9sente l\u2019ensemble des d\u00e9cisions rendues par les tribunaux \u00bb. Dans le cas de conflits similaires, la jurisprudence ayant men\u00e9 \u00e0 un jugement est donc susceptible d\u2019\u00eatre suivie par le juge.<br \/>[3] <a href=\"http:\/\/www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca\/fr\/showdoc\/cs\/N-1.1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">La Loi sur les normes du travail<\/a> pr\u00e9voit cependant qu\u2019un salari\u00e9 comptant trois mois de service continu chez le m\u00eame employeur peut s\u2019absenter du travail pour une p\u00e9riode d\u2019au plus 26 semaines sur une p\u00e9riode de 12 mois, sans salaire, en raison d\u2019une maladie, dont fait partie la r\u00e9action allergique.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-29a4dd48\" data-id=\"29a4dd48\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31ee6712 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"31ee6712\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/allergies-quebec_les_droits_de_la_personne_allergique_sous_la_loupe_1.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-4647\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d135237 rightnav elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7d135237\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>SUGGESTED READING:<\/strong>\n<div id=\"u374\" class=\"ax_default box_1\" data-label=\"bouton-soumettre\">\n<div id=\"u374_text\" class=\"text \">\n<p id=\"cache20\"><a href=\"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/which-factors-influence-atopic-march\/\"><span id=\"cache21\">Which Factors Influence Atopic March?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"u375\" class=\"ax_default materialicons\">\n<div id=\"u375_div\" class=\"\">\n<div id=\"u377\" class=\"ax_default box_1 mouseOver\" data-label=\"bouton-soumettre\">\n<div id=\"u377_text\" class=\"text \">\n<p id=\"cache18\"><a href=\"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/labelling\/\"><span id=\"cache19\">Labelling of Food Products and Alcoholic Beverages<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"u378\" class=\"ax_default materialicons\">\n<div id=\"u378_div\" class=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/food-sensitivities-and-intolerances-2\/\">Food Sensitivities and Intolerances<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is estimated that 7% of Canadians live with a food allergy, representing nearly one in ten people [1]. Although normal, their lives are complicated by the ever-present risk of exposure to an allergen that could be fatal to them. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4782,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,78,11,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conseils","category-en__conseils","category-formation","category-uncategorized","infinite-scroll-item","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6746","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6746"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6746\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allergies-alimentaires.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}