Ball v. Ontario (Community and Social Services), 2010 HRTO 1277

HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL OF ONTARIO

B E T W E E N:

Brian Ball and the Complainants Listed on

Schedule “A” and Schedule “B” and Schedule “C”

Complainants

-and-

Ontario Human Rights Commission

Commission

-and-

Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario as Represented by

the Minister of Community and Social Services

Respondent

LEAD CASE DECISION

Adjudicator: David A. Wright

Date: June 3, 2010

HR-1656-08 to HR-1692-08 and

HR-1732-08 to HR-1788-08

Citation: 2010 HRTO 1277

Indexed as: Ball v. Ontario (Community and Social Services)

APPEARANCES

S. and W., Complainants ) Lesli Bisgould and Cynthia Wilkey,

) Counsel

Ontario Human Rights Commission ) Cathy Pike and Christine Elwell, Counsel

Her Majesty the Queen in Right ) Rochelle Fox, Robert E. Charney,

of Ontario as Represented by the ) and Bruce Ellis, Counsel

Minister of Community and )

Social Services, Respondent )

[1] This Decision addresses a request by the respondent for an extension of the period by which it must implement the future compliance remedy ordered by the Tribunal at para. 180(5) of its Decision dated February 17, 2010, [2010 HRTO 360](https://www.minicounsel.ca/hrto/2010/360). This Order required the respondent to provide special diet benefits for individuals with hypoproteinemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and obesity, in accordance with the principles set out in that decision, by May 17, 2010. That period was subsequently extended, on an interim basis, by Decision dated April 22, 2010, [2010 HRTO 876](https://www.minicounsel.ca/hrto/2010/876). The respondent asks that the period required to comply with the Order be extended until April 13, 2011. Oral argument on this request was heard on May 28, 2010.

[2] On March 25, 2010, the government announced that the Special Diet Allowance (“SDA”) will be eliminated and that a medically-based nutritional supplement program for individuals on social assistance with certain severe medical needs will be created and administered by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. It is expected that some, but not all, current SDA recipients will be eligible for the program. The Nutritional Supplement Program is still being developed and the details of the new program have not been finalized. It is undisputed that a reasonable estimate of the time needed to implement the new program is from 9-12 months.

[3] The respondent argues that the three-month period should be extended to April 13, 2011, on the basis that the government has acted diligently and in good faith to comply with the Decision, that the extension requested is not excessive, and that the extension would help provide a transition period between the elimination of the SDA program and the creation of the new nutritional supplement program. It states that this would benefit current SDA recipients who may be eligible for the new program and allow the government to give current SDA recipients notice of when their SDA payments will cease. It makes an analogy to cases under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in which the courts have suspended declarations of invalidity of legislation for as long as two years.

[4] The complainants and the Commission argue that it is a serious matter to permit the continuance of what has been found to be a violation of the Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19, as amended (“Code”). They submit that an extension of the period in para. 180(5) is not necessary for the government to be able to implement the new program. They note that the government could comply with the Order by raising the amounts for hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and extreme obesity and establishing an amount for hypoproteinemia under the present program within the allotted time, and that making these changes would not affect its ability to establish a new program in a year once the time period has expired. They argue that the policy reasons underlying delayed declarations in the Charter context do not apply under the Code and in these circumstances.

DECISIOn

[5] I address first the issue of my jurisdiction to make the order requested. The Commission suggests that such jurisdiction can come only from the Tribunal’s reconsideration power, and that to grant the order requested, the Tribunal must find that this situation falls under Rule 102 of the Rules of Practice for Commission Referred Complaints.

[6] I do not agree that this request must be treated as a request for reconsideration. The respondent is seeking an extension of a time limit for implementing a remedy, not an amendment or change to the substance or reasoning of a decision. By its nature, this is different from reconsideration and, in my view, falls within the Tribunal’s general remedial powers. I do not agree with the reasoning in Turnbull v. Famous Players Inc., [2003 HRTO 10](https://www.minicounsel.ca/hrto/2003/10) at para. [32](https://www.minicounsel.ca/hrto/2003/10), in which the Tribunal suggested that because of the doctrine of functus officio it had no power to amend a time period set out in its original order. I note that the Supreme Court of Canada has granted extensions to suspended declarations in various circumstances, without using its reconsideration power. I also note that the courts have recognized that human rights tribunals have ongoing powers in the implementation of remedies: Attorney General of Canada v. Grover (1994), [1994 CanLII 18487 (FC)](https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/fct/doc/1994/1994canlii18487/1994canlii18487.html), 24 C.H.R.R. D/390 (F.C.T.D.) and Ontario (Ministry of Correctional Services) v. Ontario (Human Rights Comm.) (No. 4) (2003), [2003 CanLII 89395 (ON SCDC)](https://www.minicounsel.ca/odc/2003/89395), 51 C.H.R.R. D/440 (Div. Ct.). Accordingly, I find that this need not fall under the requirements for a request for reconsideration.

[7] At paras. 163-64 of the February 17 decision, the Tribunal set out the general remedial principles to be applied. The Tribunal recognized the different institutional roles of the Tribunal and government, and noted that the design of complex social welfare schemes is best suited to the Legislature. It also noted that the Tribunal must ensure effective remedies that respond to the fundamental nature of the rights in question. In my view, these principles must guide this request for extension of the order.

[8] In giving the government a period of three months to comply with the order, the Tribunal recognized that there are various ways in which it could respond to the Code violation found in the Decision. This period was very short, and was shorter than periods for which declarations have been suspended in similar circumstances in constitutional cases. For example, in Schafer v. Canada (Attorney General) (1997), [1997 CanLII 1508 (ON CA)](https://www.minicounsel.ca/oca/1997/1508), 35 O.R. (3d) 1 (C.A.), the Court granted a suspension of two years of its declaration that an employment insurance provision was unconstitutional under the equality rights section of the Charter. In various recent cases, courts have suspended declarations for periods of between one year and two years: see, for example, Trociuk v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [2003 SCC 34](https://www.minicounsel.ca/scc/2003/34), [2003] 1 S.C.R. 835; R. v. Demers, [2004 SCC 46](https://www.minicounsel.ca/scc/2004/46), [2004] 2 S.C.R. 489; Figueroa v. Canada, [2003 SCC 37](https://www.minicounsel.ca/scc/2003/37), [2003] 1 S.C.R. 912; Fraser v. Ontario (Attorney General) (2008), [2008 ONCA 760](https://www.minicounsel.ca/oca/2008/760), 92 O.R. (3d) 481 (C.A.).

[9] The period chosen was short because of the limited future compliance remedy that was awarded (relating only to the four conditions chosen) and the significance of the context (the provision of social assistance benefits of last resort). The government has recognized the importance of the situation, making a policy decision in a rapid manner about how it intends to bring the program into compliance with the Code. It has also determined that more extensive change than to the four conditions specified is required, the possibility of which was recognized in the Decision (see, for example, para. 11). While the complainants suggest that they may challenge whether the new program is consistent with the Code, that is an issue to be dealt with if and when it arises.

[10] It is, in my view, consistent with the remedial principles applied in the Decision to grant the respondent the extension requested and I exercise my remedial discretion to do so. Requiring the implementation of the remedy immediately would limit the respondent’s policy choices for achieving Code compliance, at least in the short term. It has acted diligently and quickly to decide upon its desired solution to achieve Code compliance for the program as a whole. Implementation will take a reasonable period for change of this nature: 14 months from the time of the decision. This period is less than the time that was given for the government to make a change to a benefit program in Schafer. It is reasonable for the government to be permitted to make all the changes to the program at once, rather than requiring short-term changes which do not fit with its intended policy direction, which would then be changed when the new program comes into effect. An extension of the order follows from the principles set out in the decision, in light of the information from the respondent about how it intends to achieve Code compliance.

[11] The date set out in para. 180(5) of the Tribunal’s Decision of February 17, 2010 is extended until April 13, 2011.

Dated at Toronto, this 3rd day of June, 2010.

“Signed by”

David A. Wright

Interim Chair

Schedule “A”: Complaints Referred January 29, 2008

COMPLAINANT REPRESENTATIVE

• Ball, Brian – 1443-07                                                           Glenda Devlin
• Bayne, Sandra –1444-07                                                   David Balderston
• Belcourt, Lisa  – 1445-07                                                   Nora Simpson
• Bell, Linda – 1446-07                                                           Seana Moorhead
• Bradshaw-Clark, Judy – 1447-07                                       Nora Simpson
• Buklis, Arlene – 1448-07                                                     Norma MacKenzie
• Buklis, John – 1449-07                                                        Norma MacKenzie
• Butts, Ruth – 1450-07                                                           Jessica S. Michael
• Caissie, Rita –1451-07                                                        Nora Simpson
• Carriere, Debbie – 1452-07                                                Jessica S. Michael
• Caster, Diane – 1453-07                                                     Anna Zachariah
• Connors, Devon by his litigation

guardian John Connors – 1454-07 Jessica S. Michael

• Connors, Drew by his litigation

guardian John Connors – 1455-07 Jessica S. Michael

• Connors, John – 1456-07                                                   Jessica S. Michael
• Cook, Cassandra – 1457-07                                             Norma MacKenzie
• Costello, John H. – 1458-07                                                Vicki Doidge
• Courville, Diane – 1459-07                                                  Stuart Bailey
• Cranstone, Steven by his litigation

guardian Irene Cranstone – 1460-07 Colleen Sym

• Crocker, Doral – 1461-07                                                   Jessica S. Michael
• Dawe, Karen – 1462-07
• Donald, Linda C. – 1463-07
• Dupont, Gail – 1464-07
• Edison, Laura – 1465-07                                                     Jessica S. Michael
• Edwards, Terry – 1466-07
• Fleming, Robert – 1467-07                                                Nora Simpson
• Frederick, Patricia Mary – 1468-07                                   Carl Symondson
• Glazewski, Dona – 1469-07                                                Nora Simpson
• Gray, Petrona – 1470-07                                                     Nora Simpson
• Hampel, Anne – 1471-07                                                     Norma MacKenzie
• Hanna, Judy – 1472-07
• Hartwick, Elsie – 1473-07                                                   Jessica S. Michael
• Hedrich, Glenn V. – 1474-07
• Heyer, Kristi – 1475-07                                                        Carl Symondson
• Hilborn, Gerald – 1476-07
• Hillier, Lanny  - 1477-07                                                      Carl Symondson
• Hird, Donna – 1478-07                                                        Nora Simpson
• Hormuz, Sara – 1479-07
• Hunchuck, Suzanne – 1480-07
• Ibbotson, Brenda – 1481-07                                                Jessica S. Michael
• King, Randy – 1482-07
• LaFranchise, June – 1483-07
• Lawrence, Mary – 1484-07                                                  Deborah Kehler
• LeFebvre, Diane – 1485-07                                                Georgina Watts
• Locke, Richard – 1486-07                                                   Nora Simpson
• Lutynski, Judy – 1487-07                                                     Jessica S. Michael
• MacDonald, Debbie – 1488-07
• MacDonald, John by his litigation

guardian Debbie MacDonald – 1489-07

• Mahaney, Margaret   - 1490-07                                          Nora Simpson
• Manke, Carole – 1491-07
• Marin, Anne – 1492-07                                                        Laura J. Hunter
• Martel, Robert – 1493-07                                                     Stuart Bailey
• McNeil, Neil – 1494-07                                                        Jessica S. Michael
• Molto, Vanessa – 1495-07                                                  Nora Simpson
• Nelson, Andrea – 1496-07
• Ninni, Angela – 1497-07                                                     Nora Simpson
• Pear, Rosalynn – 1498-07                                                   Deborah Kehler
• Penner, Sandra – 1499-07                                                  Stuart Bailey
• Petit, Jamie – 1500-07                                                        Laura J. Hunter
• Pietrobon, Jessica by her litigation

guardian Rosemary Pietrobon – 1501-07 Vicki Doidge

• Ray, Patricia – 1502-07
• Remus, Colleen – 1503-07                                                  Laura J. Hunter
• Ricker, Shawn – 1504-07                                                   Seana Moorhead
• Romano, Clara – 1505-07                                                   Seana Moorhead
• Sauve, Julie – 1506-07                                                        Susan Campbell
• Scrutton, Amy – 1507-07                                                     Jessica S. Michael
• Seguin, Raymond – 1508-07                                             Stuart Bailey
• Sizer, Doug – 1509-07                                                         Jessica S. Michael
• Smith-Reeve, Wendy – 1510-07                                         Andrew C. Bolter
• Snow, Clarence – 1511-07                                                  David Balderston
• Stapley, Francis – 1512-07                                                Jessica S. Michael
• Tessier, Victor – 1513-07                                                   Stuart Bailey
• Tilling, Randy – 1514-07                                                      Nora Simpson
• Tursa, Ella – 1515-07
• Vermeulen, Angela – 1516-07                                            Nora Simpson
• Wickham, Deborah – 1517-07
• Wray, Lorena – 1518-07                                                      Jessica S. Michael
• Yurke, Gregory – 1519-07

Schedule “B”: Complaints Referred August 11, 2008

• Abbs, David –1656-08
• Addison, Sylvan – 1657-08
• Briggs, Bonitta – 1658-8-08
• Brown, Marie – 1659-08
• Burt, Pansy Yvonne – 1660-08
• Cason, Wesley – 1661-08
• Cotterell, Brian – 1662-08
• Essery, Kathy – 1663-08
• Faustina, Murray -- 1664-08
• Fenwick, Victoria –1665-08
• Francis, Michael – 1666-08
• Froude, Eric – 1667-08
• Fujs, David – 1668-08
• Graham, Michael – 1669-08
• Hoffman, Jennifer – 1670-08
• Hoffman, Samantha – 1671-08
• Hylton, Noel – 1672-08
• Jackson, John – 1673-08
• Kersteins, Katherine – 1674-08
• Klemm, Bonnie – 1675-08
• Landry, James – 1676-08
• Lesser, Laura – 1677-08
• Monteath, Stephen – 1678-08
• Nava, Emanuel – 1679-08
• Priolo, Carmin – 1680-08
• Rose, Eva – 1681-08
• Salm, Donna – 1682-08
• Santdonato, Filippo – 1683-08
• Small, Brenda – 1684-08
• Smart, Ann – 1685-08
• Stewart, Chuck – 1686-08
• Stewart, John – 1687-08
• Townsend, Peter – 1688-08
• Vanegas, Pedro – 1689-08
• Walker, Ed – 1690-08
• Wareham, Janice – 1691-08
• Williams, Terrance – 1692-08

Schedule “C”: Complaints Referred December 2, 2008

COMPLAINANT REPRESENTATIVE

• Abdelmalik, Etidal Ishak – 1732-08
• Aquino, Verne – 1733-08
• Bartlett, Cathy – 1734-08                                                    Amy Scholten
• Bauder, Judy – 1735-08                                                      Nick Galanis
• Beauvais, Dianna – 1736-08                                              Karen Mathewson
• Belbin, Carol – 1737-08
• Boyce, Heather – 1738-08                                                 Deirdre McDade
• Braun, Neta – 1739-08
• Candlish, Patricia – 1740-08
• Chartrand, Deborah – 1741-08                                           Amy Scholten
• Cha, So Yeun  – 1742-08                                                    Vanessa Emery
• Cowan, Susan – 1743-08                                                    Sheila Drohan
• De Roy, Bernard – 1744-08                                                Amy Scholten
• Draper, Rosemary – 1745-08
• Fedoruk, Cathy – 1746-08                                                   Vanessa Emery
• Fedoruk, Rebecca – 1747-08                                             Vanessa Emery
• Graham, John Wayne – 1748-08                                        Jessica S. Michael
• Green, John – 1749-08                                                       Sheila Drohan
• Halliwell, Yolande – 1750-08
• Harrington, Martina – 1751-08                                            Amy Scholten
• Harrison, Crystal – 1752-08                                                Andrew Bolter
• Harvey, Karen – 1753-08                                                    Vanessa Emery
• Hossain, Khandakar – 1754-08                                          Vanessa Emery
• Hyman, Binnie – 1755-08                                                    Nina Hall
• Jay, John – 1756-08                                                             Andrew Bolter
• Kalynchuk, Valentin – 1757-08                                           Sheila Drohan
• Langlois, Gilles – 1758-08                                                   Laura Hunter
• Lockwood, Jason – 1759-08
• MacConnell, Jo-Ann – 1760-08                                          Sarah Lawson
• MacLeod, Brad – 1761-08                                                 Amy Scholten
• MacRae, Valery – 1762-08                                                 Vanessa Emery
• McIntyre, Diane – 1763-08
• Milner, Barbara – 1764-08                                                 Gillian Tuck Katarna
• Myrden, Alison – 1765-08                                                    Gillian Tuck Kutarna
• Noel, Arlene – 1766-08                                                       Sheila Drohan
• Pennell, Stephen – 1767-08
• Poloz, Glenn – 1768-08                                                       Sheila Drohan
• Prodonick, Dan  – 1769-08
• Raymond, Marquis – 1770-08                                             Stuart Bailey
• Saint-Bonheur, Salnave – 1771-08
• Salib, Adly Shafik – 1772-08
• Santoli, Carmela – 1773-08                                                Vanessa Emery
• Saunders, Ashley – 1774-08
• Schlondorff, Jody – 1775-08                                              Vanessa Emery
• Schwarz, Elena – 1776-08                                     Sheila Drohan
• Severin, Sheila – 1777-08                                                   Amy Scholten
• Sharp, Kenneth – 1778-08
• Snopko, Robert by his                                                          Debbie Dragnits

litigation guardian John Snopko– 1779-08

• Solon, Melodina – 1780-08
• Spence, Monica – 1781-08                                                 Vanessa Emery
• Thrower, Keith – 1782-08                                                    Jessica Michael
• Thurston, Leslie – 1783-08
• Treuman, Alexander – 1784-08                                          Sheila Drohan
• Treuman, Stewart – 1785-08                                              Sheila Drohan
• Wendling, Edward – 1786-08                                             Sheila Drohan
• Zuk, Lisa – 1788-08