Homosexual Activist Appeals Exoneration of Canadian Pastor Boissoin
By Patrick B. Craine
CALGARY, Alberta, March 30, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The homosexual activist who has pursued Alberta Pastor Stephen Boissoin on a complaint of discrimination since 2002 has re-launched his campaign after a December court defeat, taking his case to the Alberta Court of Appeal.
Dr. Darren Lund is appealing the December 4th Court of Queen’s Bench decision by Justice Earl C. Wilson, who overturned a 2008 ruling against Boissoin by the Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
The AHRC was dealing with a complaint from Lund over a June 17, 2002 letter to the editor from Boissoin regarding the promotion of homosexuality in the school system. The AHRC ruled that the letter could expose homosexuals to hatred or contempt and ordered Boissoin to cease expressing his views on homosexuality publicly, to pay $7,000 in damages to Lund, and to publish a personal apology in the local paper.
According to Justice Wilson, however, Boissoin’s letter “does not go so far as to fall within the prohibited status of ‘hate’ or ‘contempt.'”
“Inferring some sort of call for discriminatory practices prohibited by provincial law is an unreasonable interpretation of the letter’s message,” he added.
“The problem lies with the laws of our land,” Boissoin wrote Tuesday in an e-mail to LifeSiteNews. “According to our laws (across Canada) anyone can file an accusation of hate or prejudice to a Human Rights Commission and as Ezra Levant has so correctly pointed out. … the process then becomes the punishment regardless of the ruling. Years and years of fighting a malicious accusation.”
He noted that Lund’s case against him will likely end up taking 10-15 years and cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars. “Of course every penny is worth it but this fight should not have to take place,” he said. “My prayer and hope is that the Appeals Court smacks this down and stands behind Justice Wilson’s ruling. Please pray to this end too.”
“Regardless, I will, by God’s grace, always find the strength to stand,” he added. “I will oppose to my last breath in word and deed the HRC’s, the Lund’s of this world and any ruling that attempts to inhibit my freedom of speech and religious conviction.”
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Pastor Boissoin Exonerated: Judge Rules Letter on Homosexuality Not “Hate” Speech
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/dec/09120407.html