This man with dementia was denied internet due to a phone call confrontation — but he can't remember the call

Pratyush Dayal · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 15, 2025 2:01 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

When Andrew Poisson called section net supplier MNSi, looking for sum for his aging parents, helium thought it would beryllium elemental capable to get their work changed over.

But that's erstwhile helium says helium discovered the household had been "blacklisted" by the supplier implicit a reported telephone telephone confrontation betwixt his stepfather, Don and a institution representative, years ago. 

But the catch? Don  has Alzheimer's and has been losing his representation for much than a decade. He has nary recollection of immoderate telephone call. 

The family's net went down past week and since it was becoming a much predominant occurrence, decided it was clip to power providers. Poisson contacted MNSI due to the fact that they have good sum successful the neighbourhood and it's what galore of their neighbours use.  

"And erstwhile we tried to get them to travel retired and hook it up, we recovered retired that my parents were blacklisted," Poisson said.

"The lone crushed they gave was determination was immoderate benignant of verbal confrontation years agone with my stepfather. My stepfather's 88 years old, helium suffers from dementia and helium doesn't retrieve immoderate speech with them."

Poisson, who is visiting his parents from the U.S., said the institution didn't supply immoderate accusation regarding the refusal, but conscionable mentioned his dad's name.

When helium explained Don's disposition successful a telephone Thursday morning, Poisson said it didn't marque a difference. 

Don besides said helium doesn't retrieve that telephone conversation.

'Not right'

Kathy Daly, Don's wife, said they had tried to get MNSi services a mates of years agone but were denied for the aforesaid reason. 

"My hubby is the mildest person. He doesn't face oregon curse oregon bash immoderate of these things," she said. 

"Anybody who knows Don would find it hard to judge that helium would person a confrontation with anybody astir anything."

Kathy said she asked lawsuit enactment for a signaling of the telephone speech but was told that it had been erased. 

"I privation they would travel to the location and conscionable Don and cognize precisely who they're refusing work to," Poisson said, urging MNSi to marque the effort "to astatine slightest cognize the customer".

"It seems precise discriminatory and not right."

Poisson said Don is "a fantastic quality being" who has done a batch for Windsor.

'Decisions are based solely connected the quality of the interactions': MNSi

MNSi volition not uncover the specifics of idiosyncratic lawsuit interactions citing privateness concerns. The institution did not straight respond to the family's concerns.

In an emailed statement, company's president and proprietor Clayton Zekelman said that portion they strive to resoluteness concerns, they cannot tolerate behaviour that compromises the well-being oregon dignity of their squad members. 

"When decisions are made to garbage work arsenic a effect of interactions betwixt customers and our staff, specified decisions are based solely connected the quality of the interactions and are successful nary mode related to immoderate protected grounds nether the Canadian Human Rights Act oregon applicable provincial quality rights legislation," helium said.

'Unfair' that a institution can't understand

Don worked astatine CBC Windsor from 1965 until 1990 arsenic a sports broadcaster.

Kathy says she wants to cognize wherefore the institution can't beryllium much understanding. 

"The full happening conscionable seems unfair and I don't cognize why," she said.  "What could Don perchance say, that would beryllium truthful atrocious arsenic to contradict service. It conscionable does not marque consciousness successful my mind."