Assignment task:
Maryanne lived in Montreal. Her career goal was to become a horticulturalist. She had successfully passed a college course and completed an apprenticeship as a gardener with the city's Botanical Gardens. When a suitable opening came up to work as a horticulturalist with the city, she immediately sent in her application.
Maryanne was fully qualified for the position and was invited for an interview. She successfully passed the interview. However, she also had to undergo a physical check-up to confirm her suitability for the job. This check-up indicated she had a slight curvature of the spine called scoliosis. Maryanne was surprised to learn this, as she had never experienced any symptoms from this relatively common condition. In fact, she had never experienced any pain, nor had she suffered any limitation on her because of her condition. A later evaluation showed that Maryanne was able to perform all the duties of a gardener-horticulturalist in complete safety to herself and others, and that there was no need to limit her duties.
When it became aware of Maryanne's condition, the city decided to hire another candidate who it thought would be less of a risk for back problems and therefore unlikely to incur increased health care costs later on. The city rationalized its decision saying that it had the right and even the responsibility to employ individuals who would pose the least potential cost to taxpayers.
Believing the city had rejected her application because of a handicap, Maryanne made a complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal. Maryanne alleged that the city acted in a discriminatory way that deprived her of unemployment insurance benefits, caused her a high level of stress and deeply humiliated her. The city responded that because Maryanne had no functional limitations, it could not be said that she had a disability under Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.
Group discussion questions
Q1. Why do you think that the city should or should not have hired Maryanne?
Q2. If it is possible that Maryanne will develop back problems, do you think that the city did the right thing by not hiring her?
Q3. Do you think society's view towards persons with disabilities has a positive or negative impact on the barriers they face?