Natasha Dreesen v. British Pride Bakery Inc. and Tony Armstrong, 2014 HRTO 988

HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL OF ONTARIO

B E T W E E N:

Natasha Dreesen

Applicant

-and-

British Pride Bakery Inc. and Tony Armstrong

Respondents

INTERIM DECISION

Adjudicator: Mary Truemner Date: July 7, 2014 Citation: 2014 HRTO 988 Indexed as: Dreesen v. British Pride Bakery Inc.

APPEARANCES

Natasha Dreesen, Applicant Heather MacDougall, Counsel

British Pride Bakery Inc. and Tony Armstrong, Respondents Bernard Verbanac, Counsel

1This Application alleges discrimination with respect to employment because of sex and sexual orientation contrary to the Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19, as amended (the "Code"). A hearing has been scheduled for July 25, 2014.

2On June 6, 2014, the applicant filed a Request for Order During Proceedings ("the Request") seeking an order to:

a. Add a representative.

b. Add Tony Armstrong as a personal respondent.

c. Amend the Application.

d. File a Reply late.

e. Require the respondent to produce documents.

3At a preliminary hearing by teleconference on July 3, 2014, counsel for the applicant withdrew those portions of the Request with respect to filing a late Reply, and seeking the production of documents from the respondent.

4Counsel for the respondent confirmed that he represents the proposed personal respondent, and that both the corporate respondent and the proposed personal respondent consent to the remaining portions of the Request. Because the respondent and proposed respondent consented to them, and because allowing them does not mean that I am making any finding at this preliminary stage, I granted those three remaining portions of the Request, namely: a) the addition of a representative for the applicant, noting that the applicant did not require an order to be represented by counsel and she was already on record; b) the addition of the personal respondent, now reflected in the style of cause of this Interim Decision; and c) the amendments to the Applications as proposed in the Request.

5At the commencement of the hearing on July 25, 2014, the Tribunal will offer mediation-adjudication pursuant to Rule 15A of the Tribunal's Rules of Procedure. If it fails to resolve the Application by 11:00 a.m., then the parties must be prepared to have their witnesses testify that day.

6Any further requests filed by the parties will be dealt with at the hearing.