Disability Activists picket Queen Street restaurant

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johnb98
March 29, 2008

SOURCE: OCAP MEDIA RELEASE Aaron Shelbourne is a disability rights activist and a member of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP). He has Cerebral Palsy and uses Alternative Augmentative ...

SOURCE: OCAP MEDIA RELEASE

Aaron Shelbourne is a disability rights activist and a member of the
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP). He has Cerebral Palsy and uses
Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC), which involves using his eyes
to communicate and the facilitation of an assistant.

Mr. Shelbourne went to Everest Restaurant on Queen St today to demand an apology from management that has told him they don't serve customers in
wheelchairs, and asked him never to come back. Mr. Shelbourne was joined
by 20 supporters today. Mr. Shelbourne entered Everest asking to speak with restaurant manager Karma Sanchok who had previously told him they don't serve people in wheelchairs. Mr. Shelbourne sought a public apology from Ms.Sanchok and the restaurant, and a promise that this kind of blatant discrimination would not continue. Ms. Sanchok refused to speak or engage with Aaron in any way, speaking only to his non-wheelchair-bound supporters and quickly retreating behind the counter refusing to apologize or speak directly to Mr. Shelbourne as a fellow human being. Ms. Sanchok proceeded to call the police to forcibly remove Mr. Shelbourne and his supporters from the restaurant.

Mr. Shelbourne's simple, just request for an apology was rudely ignored.
This is unacceptable, and Mr. Shelbourne is not prepared to allow this kind of discrimination to continue unchallenged. He calls on supporters, allies and members of the public - especially those using wheelchairs - to go to Everest Restaurant and demand an explanation from the management!

Mr. Shelbourne and his supporters and allies will be back at Everest en
masse in the near future, to pursue Mr. Shelbourne's just request for an
apology and to ensure that this restaurant does not discriminate against people with disabilities with impunity.

Background
Last week, Mr. Shelbourne went to Everest Restaurant & Lounge with one of
his assistants. They had a meal, and at one point he had to use the
washroom. It was not accessible and he nicked the door with his wheelchair
going in.

As Mr. Shelbourne and his communication assistant were leaving the restaurant, after paying for their meals, the restaurant manager pulled Mr. Shelbourne's assistant aside and informed her that they were not welcome
back. She said that the restaurant was newly renovated and wheelchairs
aren't welcome because they cause damage.

"I am a person," says Mr. Shelbourne. "The worker at the restaurant didn't even come to tell me all of this herself but went to my assistant instead. I was angry because I am a human being and I have rights."

This Friday March 28th, with the help of the Ontario Coalition Against
Poverty (OCAP) and DAMN2025, Mr. Shelbourne returned to Everest Restaurant to seek redress, to send a loud message to management, its customers and the public that people who use wheelchairs have rights and this type of treatment is discriminatory and unacceptable!

Says Mr. Shelbourne: "I am demanding a public apology from the management
of the restaurant. I want them to acknowledge that I am a person and that
because I use a wheelchair, that doesn't make me any less of a person. If they don't like scratches on their bathroom doors they should make the
washroom accessible!"

Category: Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

aaron shelbourne disability activists picket ocap damn 2025

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