(LifeSiteNews) –– A Canadian woman with breathing difficulties who was refused service at a pharmacy because she lowered her mask while asking for a prescription has been vindicated with a large payout after a human rights tribunal found the drugstore was in the wrong.
In a December 5, 2024, decision, adjudicator Karen Mason of the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ruled that a Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy in Mississauga, Ontario, had violated the rights of a woman named Kimberly Clarke in September 2021, awarding her $10,000 in compensation. The incident unfolded when Clarke, who has asthma, had lowered her mask while asking for her prescription for a Ventolin inhaler because she was having difficulty breathing.
Customers complained about Clarke’s half-wearing of her mask, which led to store staff confronting Clarke. There was a heated exchange, with Clarke claiming she was not being treated fairly. Ultimately, she was kicked out of the store and banned from ever coming back.
Mason found that the drug store staff did not properly accommodate Clarke’s needs, which was a form of discrimination that violated Ontario’s Human Rights Code. She also referenced similar cases in making her decision.
The pharmacy has been ordered to pay Clarke within 30 days of the ruling.
While Clarke was successful in getting compensation for being discriminated against, others have not been successful.
In August, LifeSiteNews reported about a Canadian man who was not allowed to board a flight to go to a medical appointment because he was not masked despite having a doctor’s note saying he could not wear a face covering. Even with the note, the man was denied compensation for damages.