Marriage Commissioner Fined for Refusing to Marry Gays in Saskatchewan
On May 23, a Saskatchewan human rights tribunal ruled that 71-year-old marriage commissioner Orville Nichols was guilty under the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code of discriminating against a gay couple whom he refused to marry three years ago. The tribunal ruling stated that Nichols had contravened a section of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code and that his refusal based on religious belief conflicted with his duties as a public officer. Nichols has expressed his disappointment in the decision, which he sees as a denial of his religious rights. He is considering an appeal depending on the level of financial and moral support he receives from the public.
Pray for Nichols to have the peace and grace of Christ in the midst of opposition for his Christian beliefs (John 14:27).
The Supreme Court of Canada has announced that they will be releasing their decision regarding Trinity Western University's School of Law on Friday, June 15th. The ruling could have wide-ranging implications on the protection of religious freedoms in Canada.
The first few weeks of the Solitary Refinement touring stage play has already had audiences in various parts of the nation captivated. On numerous occasions, those who have been blessed to witness this life-transforming production have responded with standing ovations -- to the glory of God!
"It should be front page news across Canada," states Sun Media's Ezra Levant in an email news alert. Due to the results of a referendum among the province's lawyers, the British Columbia Law Society voted recently to reverse an earlier decision to accredit Trinity Western University (TWU) law school graduates. As a result, graduates of TWU's law school will not be able to practise law in British Columbia (BC).
The legal profession rejected accreditation for TWU's graduates based on a personal pledge of conduct the university's students are required to sign. The pledge, which includes a promise to abstain from sex outside of traditional marriage, raises a same-sex equality rights issue for the BC Law Society, but pits it against religious freedom in Canada.
On December 3, a Court of Queen's Bench judge overturned a December 2007 ruling by the Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that a letter written by Stephen Boissoin published in a local newspaper broke provincial law against spreading hatred (click here for more details). Justice E.C. Wilson ruled that the AHRC panel chair Lori Andreachuk had made many errors in her ruling. The judge ruled that Andreachuk's order that Boissoin pay $5,000 and refrain from making "disparaging remarks" about homosexuals could not be enforced, as it was "unlawful or unconstitutional."
The judge said that while Boissoin's remarks were "jarring, offensive, bewildering, puerile, nonsensical and insulting," they were not hateful or extreme and that there was nothing in the letter to suggest it was exhorting Albertans to discriminate against homosexuals in areas which fall under provincial jurisdiction. At last report, Darren Lund, who launched the complaint against Boissoin, has not decided whether he will appeal this ruling.
In another religious freedom case in Canada, Christian Horizons, a Christian organization that assists individuals with developmental disabilities, will be appealing a May 2008 ruling by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal (OHRT) on December 15-17. The OHRT ruled that Christian Horizons violated the rights of a former worker, Connie Heintz, by terminating her employment when she revealed that she was a lesbian (click here for more information). The ruling ordered Christian Horizons to compensate Heintz $23,000 in lost wages and to stop requiring its staff to sign an explicitly Christian morality code.
Thank the Lord that the ruling against Stephen Boissoin was overturned. Ask the Lord to give the believers involved in the Christian Horizons case Christ-like endurance as they stand up for their beliefs. Pray that Canada will uphold the religious freedom of its citizens.
On May 23, a Saskatchewan human rights tribunal ruled that 71-year-old marriage commissioner Orville Nichols was guilty under the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code of discriminating against a gay couple whom he refused to marry three years ago. The tribunal ruling stated that Nichols had contravened a section of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code and that his refusal based on religious belief conflicted with his duties as a public officer. Nichols has expressed his disappointment in the decision, which he sees as a denial of his religious rights. He is considering an appeal depending on the level of financial and moral support he receives from the public.
