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e-4588 (Business and trade)

E-petition
Initiated by Karina Pommainville-Odell from Ste-Adèle, Quebec

Original language of petition: French

Petition to the House of Commons

Whereas:
  • At business entrances, persons accompanied by certified assistance dogs are greeted by signs that read “No dogs allowed.” Often, nothing indicates that assistance animals are permitted;
  • The result is often frustrating interactions with misinformed staff who try to turn away persons who have a legitimate need for their assistance animal; and
  • Assistance dog users with a less visible disability are often categorically denied entry, especially when the breed or size of their assistance dog is not commonly associated with that role.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to
1. Change the signage at the entrance of federally regulated services and businesses by replacing the phrase “No dogs allowed” with “Assistance dogs welcome, but no pets allowed.”;
2. We would also ask that an information brochure be provided to all business owners and to their current and future employees as part of their training. The brochure would explain how to identify legitimate assistance dogs and communicate the basic rights of persons with disabilities, whether they are visible or not; and
3. The brochure should also explain that service and assistance dogs come in all sizes and breeds; Mira guide dogs are far from the only legitimate working dogs that should be allowed entry. We are convinced that these measures will clarify this legal right of access, which would reduce the number of people who try to take advantage of the law to bring their pets inside.

Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sameer Zuberi

The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for bringing this issue to its attention. It acknowledges that all Canadians have the right to take part fully in society. Advancing accessibility is about creating barrier-free communities, workplaces and services for all Canadians.

The development of national accessibility legislation – the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) – fulfilled the Government of Canada’s commitment to accessibility and the rights of persons with disabilities. The development of this legislation involved significant consultation with stakeholders, and the disability community in particular. The resulting Accessible Canada Act is landmark federal legislation that aims to realize a barrier-free Canada by 2040.

A key principle of the ACA is “Nothing Without Us”, which means that persons with disabilities should be consulted when developing laws, policies and programs that impact them. In keeping with this principle, the Government of Canada works with persons with disabilities, and organizations who advocate on their behalf, to better understand the full diversity of the community it serves.

As the petitioners indicate, Mira guide dogs are not the only legitimate working dog. In fact, in Canada, service dogs, which are defined in section 1(1) of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations, are allowed wherever the handler goes with the exception of where food is processed and produced.

These regulations define a service dog as “individually trained by an organization or person specializing in service dog training to perform a task to assist a person with a disability with a need related to their disability.”

The Government of Canada continues to implement its plan with the aim of making Canada barrier-free for persons with disabilities by 2040.

Open for signature
October 24, 2023, at 11:24 a.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
February 21, 2024, at 11:24 a.m. (EDT)
Presented to the House of Commons
Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie)
May 30, 2024 (Petition No. 441-02504)
Government response tabled
August 21, 2024
Photo - Alexandre Boulerice
Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie
New Democratic Party Caucus
Quebec