Tribunal supports jail’s denial of kosher meals

OLIVER — Simply declaring themselves to be Jewish doesn’t automatically entitle provincial inmates to kosher meals, according to a decision of the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal that originated at the Okanagan Correctional Centre.

Morgan Griffith, 41, filed a human rights complaint after being denied a kosher diet while incarcerated at both OCC and North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam in 2017 and 2018.

In a written decision released earlier this month, tribunal member Emily Ohler determined BC Corrections followed appropriate steps to determine if Griffith was entitled to a special diet on religious grounds, but that Griffith was unable to prove those grounds existed.

“It may be the case that Mr. Griffith sought a kosher diet for reasons sincerely connected to a religious belief, but it was incumbent on him to put that evidence forward,” wrote Ohler.

“Here, Mr. Griffith has put forward so little evidence about his connection to Judaism, the role a kosher diet plays in that for him, and why the denial of a kosher diet affected him adversely, that I am persuaded the tribunal could not find that Corrections’ denial of a kosher diet in all of the circumstances constituted an adverse impact related to his religion.”

According to the decision, Griffith first requested a kosher diet at OCC on Oct. 18, 2017.

As per BC Corrections policy Griffith met with a chaplain to verify Griffith indeed practised Judaism. Griffith was not able to provide the name of his rabbi, so the chaplain found one for him.

“A transcript of that conversation (with the rabbi) shows Mr. Griffith explaining that he was not Jewish but had Jewish ancestry, and that his mother was not Jewish but has a ‘Jewish last name.’ It also suggests Mr. Griffith was unsure about the diet he followed at home,” wrote Ohler.

Based on the chaplain’s research, Griffith was denied a kosher diet, but instead accepted vegetarian meals.

Griffith unsuccessfully initiated the process twice more during two separate stays at North Fraser Pretrial Centre, the second of which ended in January 2019.

At no time, determined Ohler, did Griffith illustrated any kind of real connection to the Jewish faith.