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Canadian Human Rights Commission Refuses To Hear Case Of Anti-Catholic Discrimination

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

OTTAWA, May 6, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Dave MacDonald, a member of Canada's civil service union, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and president of PSAC Local 70160 in Ottawa has informed LifeSiteNews that the Canadian Human Rights Commission has refused to hear his complaint of religious discrimination by PSAC and the Treasury Board of Canada.

MacDonald alleged in his original complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) that he was "discriminated against and harassed based on my religious beliefs" by the Treasury Board, who refused his request to re-direct his union dues to avoid PSAC's support for "same-sex marriage" and "zero-tolerance" policy for what they term "heterosexism," which the union describes as "the presumption that everyone is heterosexual and that heterosexuality is superior to other forms of loving."

In his written submission to the CHRC, MacDonald stated that the union had created a "hostile" work environment in its refusal to accept his religious objection to the union's support for the homosexual "lifestyle." The union's stance on "heterosexism," MacDonald said, places him in the position of being at risk of violating the union's policy in any attempt he might make to defend his religious rights. "This has created an untenable situation," he said, "and a stressful and at times, hostile, work environment."

The case is related to that of Susan Comstock who was embroiled in a similar dispute with the Treasury Board over her union's support of same-sex "marriage." Mrs. Comstock, following her conversion to Catholicism, applied in October, 2004 to her employer, the Treasury Board of Canada, to have her dues diverted to a charity.

The Treasury Board of Canada refused the request, and the Canadian Human Rights Commission refused to hear her complaint. In April 2007, the Federal Court of Justice refused to consider a review of the tribunal's decision.

MacDonald told LifeSiteNews that the reason the CHRC refused him a hearing was that "the case was identical to the issues raised in the Susan Comstock case on which the Federal Court had already ruled, finding that there was no evidence before it that the CHRC was biased" in its consideration of religious objection to homosexuality.

"Although I am personally disappointed in the decision," MacDonald stated, "at the end of the day, a politically motivated decision against one person is rather insignificant. It is the fact that the Commission is consistently anti-Christian, and that is something that should be troubling to all Canadians."

See previous LSN coverage:
2 Years Later: CHRC Looks at Complaint by Catholic Who Sought to Divert Union Dues over Same-Sex "Marriage"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jan/09011907.html

Canadian Federal Employee takes Union to Human Rights Commission over Anti-Catholic Discrimination
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/nov/07110603.html

Workers Union Refusing to Budge on Anti-Catholic Bias, Head Honchos Throwing Insults
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jun/06061304.html ;

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