Checkmate... Or Not

The Federal Court has accepted a case that will clarify legislation affecting medical marijuana users and restaurants they frequent.

Many people will remember the OHRC case where Ted Kindos, who runs Gator Ted's Tap and Grill, was found guilty of discrimination for asking a medical marijuana user, Steve Gibson, who was smoking in his doorway to leave.

Health Canada advises medical users not to consume controlled substances in public.To many people, it is a simple matter of common sense and decency. If you must take something that is offensive to others, try to do so in private or at least in such a way as to minimize the effect on bystanders. At the very least, it could have a bad effect on young people who might be at risk for addictions.

But the Commission for the Protection of Discourteous Behaviour (otherwise known as the OHRC) seems to make it's living enabling people who break the rules of courtesy and common thoughtfulness.

In the end Kindos was ordered, among other things, to put up "We accommodate medical marijuana smokers" signs.

Then the Ontario Alcohol and Gaming Commission showed up on the scene. Turns out that accommodating medical marijuana users could get your liquor licence revoked.

Naturally stuck between breaking the law and.... breaking the law, Ted Kindos decided to go to court.

Kindos is now asking that medical marijuana users not be permitted to smoke in public places or licensed establishments. As well, he is asking that Steve Gibson have his marijuana permit revoked for using it improperly.

The Federal Court has decided that the restaurant "ought to have its day in this court".

By the way, on the subject of nice people, a quote from Steven Gibson our oppressed justice and human rights fighter, “People didn’t like the way I smell, but I don’t like a lot of smells either, I can’t bare to stand near some chicks, they’ve got so much perfume on, let alone some ethnics that I don’t like the smell of that much.” The Star.com

Gator Ted's allegations that Gibson was an offensive, fill-in-the-blank, jerk are becoming more and more credible all the time.

For further reading

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/585012

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=2206243

http://westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2009/02/ontario-mpp-tim-hudak-on-the-travails-of-ted-kindos.html

http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/wants+federal+clarity+medical/1382076/story.html