Brampton Landlord Fined Thousands for Violating Tenants’ Religious Rights

Published May 3, 2017 at 11:55 pm

A recent decision by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario stated that a Brampton landlord violated his tenants’ religious rights on account of their Muslim faith. 

A recent decision by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario stated that a Brampton landlord violated his tenants’ religious rights on account of their Muslim faith. 

Landlord John Alabi ignored his tenants’ requests to accommodate their prayer times, and walked through their unit with shoes on despite being asked not to do so, according to The Canadian Press.

Tenants Walid Madkour and his wife Heba Ismail alleged that Alabi also disregarded requests to give them a few minutes notice before prospective new tenants would enter when they were vacating their unit in early 2015.

These few minutes were for Ismail to put on her hijab and other modest attire in accordance with the Qur’an. 

Allegedly, Alabi also defiled their daily prayer space by walking through it with shoes despite requests to remove his footwear.

According to The Canadian Press, adjudicator Jo-Anne Pickel found that Alabi was not respectful of the couple’s religious rights under the Human Rights Code. She ordered Alabi to pay Madkour and Ismail $6,000 each, as well as to take an online course on human rights and rental housing.

Alabi has been fined a total of $12,000. 

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