JOINT STATEMENT FROM START PROUD / OUTLAWS CANADA
For immediate release:December 1, 2017
Ottawa, ON - Today Start Proud and OUTlaws Canada issued the following statement following the conclusion of hearings in the matter of Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper Canada and Law Society of B.C. at the Supreme Court of Canada:
“Todaymarks the end of an advocacy effort that our organizations and members have been engaged in since 2013.
“We intervened in this case at each level of court because we are committed to promoting inclusive workplaces and professions for LGBTQ-identifying young people. Until this week’s hearings, we were the only LGBTQ voices in the Ontario litigation. Our submissions were referenced by both lower courts in their decisions, and we are incredibly proud of those contributions.
“Based on the concerns identified by the Supreme Court justices, we are optimistic that they will arrive at a just and fair resolution of this case that respects the dignity of LGBTQ identities, backstops the public interest mandate of Law Societies, and recognizes the importance of promoting a legal profession that is equally available to everyone, based on merit.
“In our view, Trinity and their supporters failed to articulate how the Law Societies’ decisions actually infringed a religious freedom right, or to reflect any understanding of the impact and harm the terms of the Community Covenant have on LGBTQ people. It remains unclear whether Trinity, as an organization, is entitled to protection under s. 2(a) of the Charter, or why their counsel believe Trinity’s 2001 College of Teachers case is relevant. Over the last 16 years, we have seen a sea change in the recognition of LGBTQ rights in all aspects of life. Religious freedom rights simply do not extend any rights to a believer to undermine the equality entitlements of others.
“This is a complicated legal matter that will require our top court to reconcile Charter rights, human rights codes, and the enacting legislation of Law Societies in two different processes, where different administrative decisions were made through different processes. For that reason, expect the implications of the court’s decision to be far-reaching and significant for Canadian law and public policy.
“We would like to thank our dedicated and talented legal team - MarlysEdwardh, Vanessa Payne, Paul Jonathan Saguil, and Frances Mahon, who ably presented our argumentstodaybefore the court. We are incredibly proud of their work and grateful for their service.”
Contact:
Paul Jonathan Saguil
Phone:416-889-4594
Email:
Douglas W. Judson
Phone:807-861-3684
Email:
The written argument of Start Proud and OUTlaws Canada is available online at