White Rock Pride Society’s BC Human Rights Tribunal hearing with the Star of the Sea Catholic Church has been postponed until May.
The hearing, which was initially scheduled to take place this month, relates to a Pride Society allegation that the Star of the Sea Parish discriminated against the society on the basis of sexual orientation.
The Pride Society filed a complaint with the Tribunal in the summer of 2019.
SEE ALSO: White Rock Pride Society discrimination case against Star of Sea now includes 5 intervenors
In April of that year, society president Ernie Klassen said that his organization felt discriminated against because Star of the Sea would not rent its community centre to the society for a ‘Love is Love’ event.
For its part, the church said that it reviews all applicants for events to ensure that the proposed use of the community centre “would not be contrary to the teachings on faith and morals of the Catholic Church.”
SEE ALSO: Human Rights Tribunal denies church’s request to toss out White Rock Pride Society’s complaint “We regret that this will inevitably disappoint some people and we strive to give answers in as timely a fashion as possible,” a statement from Archbishop delegate James Borkowski read.
Not long after the case was brought to the Human Rights Tribunal, the Star of the Sea changed the name of its hall from “Community Centre” to “Parish Center”
The Pride Society is seeking a declaration from the Tribunal that Star of the Sea’s conduct “was discriminatory and without bona fide and reasonable justification.”
aaron.hinks@peacearchnews.com
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