Today’s letters: ‘Discrimination’ against law school grads

The decision by the Law Society of Upper Canada to not allow law graduates of Trinity Western University (TWU) to practice in Ontario highlights the growing intolerance in our society (even by well-educated professionals, such as lawyers) to allow religious people to practice their faith. Students who choose to attend TWU know that while studying there, the university requires them to abide by the ethical teachings of historic Christianity. The university is not teaching students to force their future clients to abide by Christian morality. In fact, a good part of the instruction of such a religious institution is to teach how to live by one’s beliefs while tolerating the beliefs of others.

But this is apparently not good enough for the Law Society of Upper Canada. A majority of its board finds it “abhorrent” that a Christian educational institution would want to maintain a Christian ethos in its community. The Society finds it “backward” that the Christian university requires its members to abide by Christian ethical commitments. In other words, you can believe what you want, but you just can’t require your members to practice it in your community. So, who really is the intolerant body here? Lawyers should know better.
Gene Haas, Hamilton, Ont.

So a group of lawyers has taken a vote against Christian ethics. Why should anyone be surprised?
Richard Peachey, Abbotsford, B.C.

I admit, I risk repeating myself. But, I can’t avoid it, as the following question has never been answered. If Trinity Western University were anything but a Christian university — instead, a Muslim, Buddhist or Jewish institution, for example —would its graduates be forbidden from practicing law in Ontario? Or would the Law Society of Upper Canada be reminding us of our pluralistic, multicultural society?
Jerry Pryde, Stoney Creek, Ont.

Could someone kindly explain to me the propriety of disciplining an institution that violates someone’s human rights by punishing the potential victim? Most students will likely wish to attend Trinity Western University for reasons that have nothing with sexual orientation; indeed, many of which have to do with religious choice. If Trinity Western does, in fact, discriminate against gay students, the school could be sanctioned by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal under section 16 of B.C.’s Human Rights Code. But our Law Society should not be doing the punishing, especially against its innocent students. I will not be surprised if this decision will be met by a successful legal challenge.
John Tibor Syrtash (Law ’79 Queens), Toronto.

Since the Ontario legal profession is so manifestly guilty of discrimination against Trinity Western University’s law grads on prohibited grounds—religious belief—the BC law society should exclude all members of the Ontario bar from practicing in B.C.
Steve Weatherbe, Victoria.