Thursday, April 24, 2008

HRC in the news again

The Ontario Human Rights Commission has ruled that Christian Horizons has violated the rights of a previous employee who had revealed that she was gay - Christians Horizons Rebuked (Record):

...The tribunal has ordered Kitchener-based Christian Horizons to compensate Connie Heintz, 39, and to end a prohibitive code-of-conduct contract for its 2,500 employees.

The contract, which all staff must sign, forbids workers from cheating on their spouses, having pre-marital sex or homosexual relationships, using pornography and "endorsing" alcohol or tobacco, among other things...


So Christian Horizons must now pay Heintz $23,000, plus interest.

That includes $5,000 for "the wilful and reckless infliction of mental anguish."

The charitable organization must also undergo "basic human-rights training for all employees and adopt an anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy."

Personally, I'm on the fence on this one. If this was a case of a Catholic parish hiring a staff member who turned out to be gay, would they have the right to ask that person to resign?

Would they be forced to hire an openly gay person even if it conflicts with the church dogma?

It certainly indicative of the ongoing dichotomy between freedom of religion vs. the state.


* * * *
Update: Phantom weighs in here.

Saturday Update: Via Jack's Newswatch - MP wants religious agency's funding pulled - CTV.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Imagine the outrage in the gay community if it came out that a member of GLAAD or EGALE was a closet practicing Evangelical Christian?

Even if Egale were deemed to be in violation of the law by the HRC for firing him, the fine would have been paid tax dollars paid to the organization.

Wait, gay groups are always right. The firing IS ALWAYS justified if you are MFGS.

HRC code MFGS - most favoured group status (ie historical victim group that can never do wrong)

Anonymous said...

The Catholic Church does not prohibit homosexuality. The Catechism states that a person who is gay should not act on their feelings. It also states that that person is to be loved equally and without prejudice.

Anonymous said...

Christian Horizons is performing a huge service to many communities. The real victims will be the disabled in the community who will not have help if a CH office folds and closes due to this decision.
You have to wonder if this was a plant.

Anonymous said...

Hi...just a thought about this subject .I think any group should have the right to choose who can join and who must go ...think about the RCMP .I know that discrimination is something I have the ability to exercise as a individual . As a company or other religious organization it is appreciate to decide what your vision is and the best way to carry out the day to day operations ..HRC is acting like god ...Some how there is no other
side to the story that is allowed based on human right''s ..I have the right to worship the devil and have other's join to make a group ...to disallow ,say a christian to join the group, does not infringe on their rights..I remember a argument awhile back that went something like this ...Native people don't have the right to put nets across the river as it infringed on the right of the fish to swim up stream ..ridiculous ..or maybe the fish have a right to life as well ?
We are surely in the laodicean era ....katou

Joanne (True Blue) said...

.I have the right to worship the devil and have other's join to make a group ...to disallow ,say a christian to join the group, does not infringe on their rights

Interesting scenario, Katou ...

Joanne (True Blue) said...

The Catechism states that a person who is gay should not act on their feelings.

Good point. And if Ms. Heintz merely said that she had homosexual feelings but didn't act on them, then I think Christian Horizons was wrong.

On the other hand, if someone is hired after signing the contract, and then discovers that they have homosexual tendencies and moves in with their gay lover, then perhaps the Christian group or church would be justified in voicing their concern. It would fly in the face of the beliefs of the organization.

Darryl said...

I don't like the HRC, but this fine was appropriate. That contract is clearly illegal and in conflict with several charter rights. The situation with Ezra presents a good argument against the HRC. In this case, I strongly believe unless that contract is scrapped; they should lose charitable status despite some of the good work they might do.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Darryl, I'm inclined to agree with you about the contract clause.

I would like to know a bit more about the circumstances of her leaving though.

Anonymous said...

This is off topic but would like to bring your attention to it anyway. This headline:
'Chief interpreter' can't even interpret election ad laws
from the Calgary Herald
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=db8a2ddd-b047-498c-a180-2e9228771e27

Sorry link is so long don't know how to shorten

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Thanks, Frmgrl. Hoping to do that one later.

Anonymous said...

Seems to me that the contract, legal or not, clearly sets out the guidelines.
Why on earth would you join in where you are not wanted?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$?
Ok, i get it now.
-Lee-

Anonymous said...

I'm with Lee.
Lets call it the 'Warman tactic'
Is it ok to say that Joanne?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Is it ok to say that Joanne?

I'm sure I'll find out if it's not. ;)

KEvron said...

"The real victims will be the disabled in the community who will not have help if a CH office folds and closes due to this decision"

their payroll, alone, is $60 mil plus (much of that at the expense of the taxpayer), so i rather doubt the award will have the impact you imagine.

KEvron

Ti-Guy said...

Would they be forced to hire an openly gay person even if it conflicts with the church dogma?

Joanne, the Church says a lot of things...about divorce, premarital sex, nonprocreative sex (!!) and birth control.

How far do you think it should be able to go with all of that?

paulsstuff said...

"How far do you think it should be able to go with all of that?"

That's a good question. Of course there is a condo building being built in Toronto that will only selll to gays. Wonder why there are no screams from the HRC about that. Imagine.

Hello, I'm very well off and would like to buy one of your condo's, I have enough money to pay cash.

OK, that sounds great, you are gay, right?

No I'm not, does that mean I can't buy one of your condo's?

Security to the front office asap.

KEvron said...

"Wonder why there are no screams from the HRC about that. Imagine"

are they violating the law, as christian horizons did? and was the construction of those condos funded by taxpayer dollars, as christian horizons is?

KEvron

Ti-Guy said...

Of course there is a condo building being built in Toronto that will only selll to gays.

This one?

The Vivat Group, which is one of the financial backers for the 200-unit project, said the building will be the first of its kind in Canada. Named The Bohemian, the building will be marketed to gays and lesbians, but other interested buyers will be considered, Reuters reported.

Cory Madsen said...

Just two questions. Would the Human Rights Tribunal have even looked at this if the organization was a Muslim organization? Of course not. This is just another example of persecution against a Christian organization.

And what about my right to work in a Christian environment? The Human Rights Tribunal has just infringed upon one of my rights...that of association with who I want.

KEvron said...

"Would the Human Rights Tribunal have even looked at this if the organization was a Muslim organization? Of course not."

can you name a muslim organization in canada that is guilty of the same? if you could, it might lend your specious claim a little merit. as it it stands, your premise is conjured from thin air, and speaks more about your own attititudes than it does of hrcs and muslim organizations. and the left, of course. it's always, by default, the left's fault....

KEvron