In Lund v. Boissoin, (AB Human Rts. Panel, Nov. 30, 2007), a panel appointed by the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission held that a letter published in the Red Deer Advocate violates the anti-discrimination provisions of Alberta's Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act (HRCMA). The case originated out of a letter written to the Canadian newspaper by Stephen Boissoin, executive director of the Concerned Christian Coalition (now Concerned Christians Canada, Inc.). The letter was titled "Homosexual Agenda Wicked".
The complaint, filed by a Red Deer high school teacher, alleged that the letter crossed the line of free speech and incited hatred against homosexuals in violation of Sec. 3 of the HRCMA. In an 80-page decision, the Panel held it had jurisdiction over the case because of the relationship of the letter to the province's educational system and its circumstantial connection to the beating of a gay teenager in Red Deer less than two weeks following its publication. The panel concluded that Boissoin's letter expressed hatred or contempt for a group of persons on the basis of their sexual preference, and made it more acceptable to others to manifest hatred against homosexuals. The panel rejected the argument that Boissoin's freedom of religion and expression are defenses to the discrimination charge. Friday's Canadian Press reported on the decision.
Meanwhile, according to the Canadian Press, on Saturday the Executive Committee of the Conservative Party of Alberta refused to endorse the nomination of Concerned Christian Coalition leader Craig Chandler for election to the province's legislative assembly from Calgary-Egmont. Apparently the refusal was related to the Boissoin letter.
