Ex-Alberta Justice minister denied anonymity in discrimination suit, will take legal action against Human Rights Commission

Former Alberta Justice Minister Jonathan Denis is taking legal action against the Human Rights Commission of Alberta after his request for anonymity in a recent discrimination case was denied.Denis had filed a discrimination suit against the luxury jewellery store Tiffany & Co. after he was made to leave their Calgary location in 2022 for refusing to wear a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. Denis alleges that after being asked to put on a mask, he had informed the employees at the store that he was medically exempt due to his asthma but was made to leave anyways. The Alberta Human Rights Tribunal sided with the jewellery store, stating that the company had offered customers unable to wear masks "alternative means of accessing its goods and services, including online shopping with assistance from staff and curbside pickup."Denis also appealed for his identity to remain anonymous in the publishing of the court documents; this was also denied. .An email from the Guardian Law Group, the firm at which Denis is a founding partner, reiterated that Tiffany's practices during the COVID-19 pandemic were discriminatory."After a four-year delay, the commission refused to even investigate the matter — despite our client being fully vaccinated and other similar cases which have found such practices to be discriminatory," the statement from Guardian Law Group reads.The email also states that Guardian will be appealing the decision and will be seeking damages from the commission due to their handling of Mr. Denis' medical information."The commission has breached its own policy in publicly disclosing our client’s private medical information. As we are appealing the decision and now seeking damages against the commission, we have no further comment at this time and look forward to the court’s decision," the email reads.

Ex-Alberta Justice minister denied anonymity in discrimination suit, will take legal action against Human Rights Commission

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