Teen Volunteer Cameraman Barred From Arena For Chatting With Don Cherry
Posted January 30, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Don Cherry is rallying behind a 17-year-old who was turfed from his job as a volunteer cameraman in an Oshawa arena after he approached the hockey legend at the CHL Prospect Game.
Billy Steele was barred from going into the General Motors Centre after he chatted Cherry up about his colourful ties during the Jan. 14th game.
“They just said you’re not allowed back in. For what, saying hi to Don Cherry?” the teen questioned.
The company he worked for, Global Spectrum, claims they had warned the Oshawa teen several times about talking with celebrities, which is against company policy, and defended their decision.
“We cannot put our guests or our artists, our performers, into security jeopardy when our policies and procedures are ignored. We have met with this young man many, many times and gone over those and he simply does not comply with our rules and regulations,” said Ike Richman, Global Spectrum Spokesperson.
But Grapes is sour that the likable young man was fired for talking to him, saying he’s ‘infuriated’ that the company took such extreme measures, and that he plans on trying to help Steele get his job back.
The boy’s father has filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal against Global Spectrum and the city of Oshawa. He’s asking for $100,000 for punitive damages and Billy’s future lost wages.
“We’re not talking about harassment,” his dad said. “We’re not talking about following them, hurting them or touching them or anything like that. We’re simply saying ‘hey, how are you.’ If they respond and want to strike up a conversation what’s the crime in that?”
