Be it resolved that a new Category be added, called “Rights of Workers”, with the following paragraph:
“We support legislation to protect the rights of Ontario workers who believe in the traditional definition of marriage, from employment discrimination on the basis of their deeply held religious beliefs. These rights are affirmed in the Charter of Rights & Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code. ”
Rationale explaining why the above policy resolution should be adopted:
1. We are witnessing an alarming trend whereby Canadian Christians are being fired from their jobs, or rejected as potential candidates for employment, directly on the basis of their religious belief that marriage is between one man and one woman. There are documented cases of this unlawful employment discrimination having taken place in different industries, including television broadcasting, tourism, real estate, the legal profession, and general office administration. The Trinity Western Law School is a perfect example whereby Christians are being told they are unfit to become lawyers, owing to their religious beliefs.
2. These discriminatory hiring and firing practices violate Section 6.2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms which states: “Every citizen of Canada and every person who has the status of a permanent resident of Canada has the right to pursue the gaining of a livelihood in any province.”
3. These discriminatory firing and hiring practices violate Section 15.1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms which states: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, RELIGION, sex, age or mental or physical ability” (emphasis added in bold).
4. These discriminatory practices violates the “right to security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof” which is guaranteed under Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms.
5. These discriminatory hiring and firing practices violate Section 5.1 of the Ontario Human Rights Code, under the Employment section, which states: “Every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to employment without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, CREED, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability.” (emphasis added)
6. The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario is committed to protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Ontarians, regardless of their religious or moral beliefs.
7. The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario opposes this form of intolerance which reflects negatively on Canada’s international reputation as a pluralistic nation that respects diversity and fundamental human rights.
To download this proposed policy resolution as a MS Word document, together with the Rationale, click here.