CBC News is reporting that the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has ordered the small town of Emo to pay damages after failing to hoist an “LGBTQ2 rainbow flag” in celebration of Pride Month. O…
From the Tribunal’s decision. It was ruled that voting against displaying a pride flag is not necessarily discriminatory. The mayor, however, stated his reason for denying the request was because there isn’t a straight flag. It was ruled his decision was based on sexuality, and therefore, discriminatory. The other councilors who voted against the resolution were fine.
[51] However, Mayor McQuaker’s remark during the May 12 council meeting that there
was no flag for the “other side of the coin … for straight people” was on its face dismissive
of Borderland Pride’s flag request and demonstrated a lack of understanding of the
importance to Borderland Pride and other members of the LGBTQ2 community of the
Pride flag. I find this remark was demeaning and disparaging of the LGBTQ2 community
of which Borderland Pride is a member and therefore constituted discrimination under the
Code
From the Tribunal’s decision. It was ruled that voting against displaying a pride flag is not necessarily discriminatory. The mayor, however, stated his reason for denying the request was because there isn’t a straight flag. It was ruled his decision was based on sexuality, and therefore, discriminatory. The other councilors who voted against the resolution were fine.
Weird. That makes more sense. The article says there is no flag pole which would be reasonable to deny flying a flag.
So because he didn’t want to be discriminatory, he got charges of discrimination.
Good job, Human Rights Tribunal