Guide dog and handler denied access to services in a humiliating showdown
On Tuesday, March 17 at 8 AM I had a booking for tour express with travelling from Montreal to Ottawa. I had my travel companion, a guide dog along with me as I am visually impaired. According to tour express website pets are not permitted but service animals are the exception to this rule. So when the driver arrived I approached the van and he told me I could not board the vehicle I presented the ID of the dog my ID along with the documentation that attest to the work of my service animal and I explained to him that under federal and provincial laws I have the right to travel with my guy dog and if he denies me this access is violating the human rights law.
The driver protested and called his boss who also was in a court with him that I cannot board the vehicle even though I showed them their own website that upholds this principle of admission of service animals; yet they refuse to let me board even some bystanders were trying to explain to them and other passengers and they would not accommodate me. The driver kept insisting that the van is too small and I told him that that is no excuse even when travelling in Uber vehicles and taxis the dog curls up on the floor by my feet without any problem. Besides this, besides this, my rights cannot be in French upon due to the size of a vehicle; and moreover I ask the driver to permit me to sit in the front seat and so I can demonstrate to him how the dog could sit on the floor between my legs without any problems as he is strained to do this. The driver refused and as it was cold outside I just insisted and stepped into the vehicle and sat he told me that I have to get out or else he will call the police and I told him that well I need a refund for my booking and he said there is no refund you have to get out so he called the police the police arrived and they also informed him that I have every right for for the services for which I paid for and that is an act of discrimination yet the driver and his boss held firm to their position and in addition to cancelling my booking they cancelled the trip for all of the other passengers. Up to the state I haven't been repaid for this booking and I was forced to purchase other tickets with another company to secure my travel arrangements. This was quite a humiliating experience; for one thing I already have two confront barriers to accessibility and all facets of society; and then having to be discriminated for having a guide dog as my companion and helper is appalling. I've sent numerous emails to the company and no one has replied or contacted me with any apologies or compensation; so I will be filing a case with the Quebec human rights commission.