Anti-gay letter ruled legal
Liberals cannot stifle free speech
CALGARY -- The anti-gay letter published by a Concerned Christian
Coalition representative did not violate Alberta's human-rights
legislation, a judge ruled yesterday.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Earl Wilson said Rev. Stephen Boissoin's
letter may have been "bewildering, puerile, nonsensical and insulting,"
but it wasn't unlawful.
"The language does not go so far as to fall within the prohibited status
of 'hate' or 'contempt,'" Wilson wrote in his decision.
Wilson overturned an earlier ruling of an Alberta Human Rights and
Citizenship Commission panel which held Boissoin's June 17, 2002, letter
in the Red Deer Advocate was likely to expose gays to hatred or
contempt.
The judge said there was nothing in the letter to suggest it was
exhorting Albertans to discriminate against homosexuals in areas which
fall under provincial jurisdiction.
"The letter's target audience are people that (Boissoin) believes are
apathetic to the inroads made by the 'homosexual machine,' " Wilson
said.
"Inferring some sort of call for discriminatory practices prohibited by
provincial law is an unreasonable interpretation of the letter's
message."