Canadian Court Says Pastor's Anti-Gay Letter Was Protected Speech

In June 2008 in the Canadian province of Alberta, the Human Rights and Citizenship Commission ordered pastor Stephen Boissoin and his Concerned Christian Coalition to stop publishing and broadcasting disparaging remarks about gays, after earlier finding that a letter Boisson published in the Red Deer Advocate incited hatred against homosexuals in violation of the province's human rights law. The Commission also awarded $5000 damages to the high school teacher who had filed the complaint. (See prior posting.) On Thursday, according to Canadian Press, a Court of Queen's Bench in Alberta overturned the Commission's ruling, finding that Boisson's letter was protected free speech.