Knauff, a veteran of Ontario’s provincial forest firefighting force, has been vegan for over 25 years. In 2017, he was working long hours in tough conditions fighting wildfires in British Columbia. According to non-profit Animal Justice, which campaigns for stronger animal laws, Knauff’s employer failed to provide appropriate vegan meals for him at the basecamp where he was stationed.
He was often served meals containing animal products, or nutritionally inadequate meals containing no source of protein. Sometimes no food was provided for him at all.
Despite repeated attempts to work with management to improve the situation, nothing changed.
After Knauff was disciplined and suspended without pay after expressing his frustration, he sued his employer.
I gotta side with him on this one. While his is a lifestyle choice, some people do have special dietary needs. If you want people to work in these types of conditions you have to take their needs into consideration.
I want to side with him, and I think there is a good argument that he’s right, but yours has a fatal flaw:
If you want people to work in these types of conditions you have to take their needs into consideration.
The fact that they fired him indicates they don’t want him to work in these types of conditions. They don’t want the logistics hassle associated with his chosen lifestyle.
The article claims that repeated attempts were made to negotiate with management to “improve” the situation. Those attempts could be considered negotiations. He may or may not have secured promises from management in exchange for his continued employment. The breaking of those promises could potentially be considered fraud.
He argued that veganism was protected as a “creed”. The Ontario Human Rights Code considers 5 factors in determining whether a belief system constitutes a creed. Under that code, a “creed”:
Is sincerely, freely and deeply held
Is integrally linked to a person’s identity, self-definition and fulfilment
Is a particular and comprehensive, overarching system of belief that governs one’s conduct and practices
Addresses ultimate questions of human existence, including ideas about life, purpose, death, and the existence or non-existence of a Creator and/or a higher or different order of existence
Has some “nexus” or connection to an organization or community that professes a shared system of belief.
Veganism clearly meets 1, 2, and 5, but I’m not quite seeing 3 or 4.
I think you could probably argue that ethical veganism is a deeply held belief that humans are not inherently superior to other animals, and that said animals also have emotions, etc.
This would address 3 as it would definitely govern one’s conduct and practices: not exploiting animals in any way.
I would also argue that it addresses ultimate questions about human’s place in the living world, partially addressing 4.
La « liberté de conscience et de religion » devrait être interprétée largement et s’étendre aux croyances dictées par la conscience, qu’elles soient fondées sur la religion ou sur une morale laïque et les termes « conscience » et « religion » ne devraient pas être considérés comme tautologiques quand ils peuvent avoir un sens distinct, quoique relié.
So Ontario’s interpretation here is potentially unconstitutional, especially if their decision hinges on something as minor as what a belief system has to say about a Creator.
EDIT: Not a vegan at all, but I can understand the ethics.
I agree with this, though “lifestyle choice” can make it sound like a mere preference. Preferences aren’t the same as sincerely held moral beliefs, and they shouldn’t be treated as flippantly as these people treated him.
I barely accept religious food preferences and now you want me to accept political food preferences?
I eat anything and don’t complain because I’m not a bitch and I’ve experienced literal starvation before.
What the fuck is this ridiculous amount of entitlement.
The ONLY appropriate reason for food variety in MRE’s is allergies and so the troops don’t go insane from the constant repetitiveness of one type of trash food over and over.
I think it’s the meat eaters, who make every effort to hide the horrific conditions of factory farms, who can’t handle reality. You never get as much excuse-making and projection as when you’re arguing with someone about meat. It’s pretty obviously motivated reasoning.
Ah so you’re even more personality invested in eating meat than a normal person. That’s why I’m “whining” and you’re so defensive about it. That makes a lot of sense!
I understand you have literacy issues so I’ll correct you and move on since I don’t like spending overmuch time in dialogue with idiots.
As I mentioned I have experienced actual starvation, thanks mainly to the loving care the Canadian government puts in group homes.
Now, I don’t complain because I’m not a bitch.
Once again, wrong on all counts and judging from your comment history you have very little likelihood of ever actually being right, but I digress, learn how to read, moron.
I gotta side with him on this one. While his is a lifestyle choice, some people do have special dietary needs. If you want people to work in these types of conditions you have to take their needs into consideration.
I want to side with him, and I think there is a good argument that he’s right, but yours has a fatal flaw:
The fact that they fired him indicates they don’t want him to work in these types of conditions. They don’t want the logistics hassle associated with his chosen lifestyle.
The article claims that repeated attempts were made to negotiate with management to “improve” the situation. Those attempts could be considered negotiations. He may or may not have secured promises from management in exchange for his continued employment. The breaking of those promises could potentially be considered fraud.
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More so it would be provided if there was a reason
Not liking something doesn’t count as a reason
Some people have medical or religious dietary restrictions. I think the employer would have to accommodate those. Ethical restrictions is a grey area.
But why are ethical restrictions any less valid than religious dietary restrictions?
He argued that veganism was protected as a “creed”. The Ontario Human Rights Code considers 5 factors in determining whether a belief system constitutes a creed. Under that code, a “creed”:
Veganism clearly meets 1, 2, and 5, but I’m not quite seeing 3 or 4.
I think you could probably argue that ethical veganism is a deeply held belief that humans are not inherently superior to other animals, and that said animals also have emotions, etc.
This would address 3 as it would definitely govern one’s conduct and practices: not exploiting animals in any way.
I would also argue that it addresses ultimate questions about human’s place in the living world, partially addressing 4.
Also, looking at federal law (https://www.justice.gc.ca/fra/sjc-csj/dlc-rfc/ccdl-ccrf/check/art2a.html), looks like “liberté de conscience et de religion” should be interpreted widely:
So Ontario’s interpretation here is potentially unconstitutional, especially if their decision hinges on something as minor as what a belief system has to say about a Creator.
EDIT: Not a vegan at all, but I can understand the ethics.
I agree with this, though “lifestyle choice” can make it sound like a mere preference. Preferences aren’t the same as sincerely held moral beliefs, and they shouldn’t be treated as flippantly as these people treated him.
I barely accept religious food preferences and now you want me to accept political food preferences? I eat anything and don’t complain because I’m not a bitch and I’ve experienced literal starvation before.
What the fuck is this ridiculous amount of entitlement.
The ONLY appropriate reason for food variety in MRE’s is allergies and so the troops don’t go insane from the constant repetitiveness of one type of trash food over and over.
Some people don’t want to inflict unnecessary suffering on animals. That’s not being picky, it’s a moral commitment.
That’s an extended version of “I can’t handle reality, let me pretend I care by telling everyone I don’t eat meat”
I think it’s the meat eaters, who make every effort to hide the horrific conditions of factory farms, who can’t handle reality. You never get as much excuse-making and projection as when you’re arguing with someone about meat. It’s pretty obviously motivated reasoning.
You’re literally whining to a butcher.
Ah so you’re even more personality invested in eating meat than a normal person. That’s why I’m “whining” and you’re so defensive about it. That makes a lot of sense!
You eat and don’t complain because you don’t care about a thing, not even yourself. It’s not something you should be proud of.
I understand you have literacy issues so I’ll correct you and move on since I don’t like spending overmuch time in dialogue with idiots.
As I mentioned I have experienced actual starvation, thanks mainly to the loving care the Canadian government puts in group homes.
Now, I don’t complain because I’m not a bitch.
Once again, wrong on all counts and judging from your comment history you have very little likelihood of ever actually being right, but I digress, learn how to read, moron.