|
THE PRESIDENT of an Ottawa Public Service Alliance of
Canada (PSAC) local has filed a human rights complaint against his union on
religious freedom grounds. Treasury Board employee David MacDonald, who
works for Industry Canada, claims he has been “discriminated against
and harassed based on my religious beliefs.”
As a Catholic, MacDonald objects to PSAC’s public
advocacy of same-sex marriage and the union’s
‘anti-heterosexism’ policy – which, he maintains,
violates his conscience and deeply-held religious beliefs.
“The hostility towards Catholics is very
open,” MacDonald said, saying this “adds to the feeling of
being uncomfortable within the workplace.”
Continue article >>
|
The president of Local 70160 has also included the
Treasury Board in his complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Commission
because it refused his request to divert his dues to charity.
MacDonald said he sees no contradiction in remaining
president of his local. “What the local does is in fact what a union
is supposed to be doing: fighting for workers’ rights, doing
grievances, all the things one would expect a union would be
doing.”
He also stressed he would as quickly defend the rights
of a gay employee as he would those of religious believers.
– Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News
December 2007
|
