News Release Archive
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION--EASTERN SHORE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
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A board of inquiry into the complaint of Dr. Dinesh P. Sinha
against the Eastern Shore Memorial Hospital has released a
preliminary decision on its jurisdiction to hear the
complaint.
Dr. Sinha made a complaint under the Human Rights Act on
Sept. 30, 1993. He alleged that he was discriminated against
in employment and access to services because of his race
and/or colour, and/or national origin when his hospital
admitting privileges were suspended in 1991 and denied in
1992. The complaint could not be resolved by the commission
and proceeded to a board of inquiry chaired by Anne S.
Derrick.
The hospital brought a preliminary motion that the board
lacked jurisdiction because Dr. Sinha neither had an
employment relationship with, nor received services from the
hospital. The board heard arguments on the motion Jan. 9 and
24, 1996.
The board dismissed the motion. In her decision of Feb.2,
1996, Ms. Derrick found that the relationship between Dr.
Sinha and the hospital was both an employment relationship
and a service accessing relationship for the purposes of the
Human Rights Act. She found that both "employment" and
"services" in the act should be defined broadly, given the
quasi constitutional status of the act and the broad,
liberal and purposive interpretation that it should be
afforded.
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Contact: Wayne MacKay or Francine Comeau
902-424-4111 or 902-422-1043
jlw Feb. 08, 1996 4:30 p.m.