Richard D. Abbott

The complainants applied to be firefighters with the City of Ottawa but were rejected because they did not meet the uncorrected visual acuity standard of 20/20 in each eye.

They filed human rights complaints alleging discrimination based on handicap.

The Board of Inquiry dismissed the complaints, finding that the complainants' impaired visual acuity did not constitute a 'handicap' under s. 9(b)(i) of the Human Rights Code because there was no evidence it was caused by bodily injury, illness, or birth defect.