Muslim man gets $11,000 over post-9/11 backlash

[Fudd]

" B.C.'s Human Rights Tribunal has awarded $11,000 to a Muslim man of Arab descent because he was the victim of a co-worker's paranoia after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

RCMP questioned Ghassan Asad for three days in 2001 after his co-workers told police he had returned from Washington and New York just weeks before the attacks. He was never charged.

The tribunal said management at the high-tech firm engaged in "improper conduct."

Can't believe this shit still happens in our country. Canada is supposed to be an enlightend and tolerant society. He should have been awarded a lot more money just to make and example of the company and send a message that racism will not be tolerated.

 

[HeMadeMeDoIt]

I disagree, his coworkers were genuinely suspicious and called the police. They didn't take him to the parking lot and tune him. The company had no part of him being discriminated against. Lets face it the RCMP found enough to interrogate him for 3 days. I don't see what the company couldve done to prevent its employees from reporting someone they were suspicious of.

What if the employees suspected that he was white but looked unstable or suspicious enough to kill his wife nd kids, should they report that or worry about offending the PC wankers?

 

[schizo_man]

let me guess fudd, you and your group are discussing this

 

[LittleAsianGuy]

I worked with a middle eastern man before and he kepted saying stuff like "911 was a good thing" and his god/allah will bless those terrorist. We never called the police even though he said some weird sh-t. But i can understand why some people would rat out others.

 

[cancowboy2001]

I disagree, his coworkers were genuinely suspicious and called the police. They didn't take him to the parking lot and tune him. The company had no part of him being discriminated against. Lets face it the RCMP found enough to interrogate him for 3 days. I don't see what the company couldve done to prevent its employees from reporting someone they were suspicious of.

Here's a more detailed article from the Vancouver Sun.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=8e3d971d-397a-4364-a8a6-11963ddf68a8
The tribunal found that the company didn't do enough after the RCMP released him.
At the end of page 2 (Okazaki is speaking for the tribunal):
"Asad returned to what Okazaki described as a poisoned workplace with his colleagues, including his boss Pelech, harbouring suspicions against him.

The tribunal found that Pelech and the company had a legal duty to provide Asad with a safe and healthy workplace but they failed, leaving Asad to fend for himself. Management were also engaged in racial profiling and "were part of a corrosive cloud of suspicion hanging over him in the workplace," said Okazaki.

"Dr. Pelech attempted to persuade Mr. Asad that reporting him to the RCMP was understandable because he looked like the 9/11 terrorists," said Okazaki.

Okazaki pointed to testimony in which Pelech declared: "In my observation, if people have nothing to hide they are not so shaken up," and, "Most indignant people are guilty."

Okazaki also took issue with Pelech's argument that the tribunal should accept his evidence and the evidence of other witnesses produced by Kinexus over Asad's, based on their significant educational and professional accomplishments."

Also the tribunal upped the award amount to the maximum they could - Asad only asked for $6000 originally.

 

[island-guy]

" B.C.'s Human Rights Tribunal has awarded $11,000 to a Muslim man of Arab descent because he was the victim of a co-worker's paranoia after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

...

Can't believe this shit still happens in our country.

I can't believe it either, when are they going to get rid of these kangaroo courts?

You'd think they'd have learned something from the whole McLean's fiasco...

 

[cljw31]

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