January 4, 2016 - A syndicate of co-owners located in Richmond, British Columbia, holds its annual general meeting using Mandarin as the language of communication.
It was enough for four co-owners of the Wellington Court complex (the co-ownership affected in this litigation) to file a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.
According to the CBC reports, English-speaking residents do not feel welcome during these meetings. They claim to be victims of racial discrimination by the new Board of Directors elected last July.
"We are in Canada, I hope we are all equals," says Andreas Kargut, one of the complainants. He says the Board occasionally discusses approvals of expensive maintenance operations without translating adequately the discussions in English.
The filing of this complaint occurred when the Chairman of the Board, Ed Mao, said they were welcome at the meetings, but that he had "no intention of speaking English," added Andreas Kargut.
The latter recorded the meeting of December 8. He says that during the discussions which lasted more than an hour and a half, "Ed Mao spoke English only to ask him to sit down." As for the interested party, Ed Mao, he will not comment the case.
An unheard of precedent
Lawyer William Patrick, who has developed an expertise in co-ownership Conflict Resolution, says "he has never heard of such a case." He adds that no provincial law requires owners to hold there syndicate meetings in English.
The lawyer suggested that the Board finds a common ground with the help of a mediator, or pays for translation services, so that all residents can understand the discussions during the annual general meetings
Montreal, january 4, 2016
Source: CBC
