A B.C. city鈥檚 victory in a human rights complaint over a rainbow flag cost just over $62,000.
After the flag flew at Langley City hall to mark Pride Week, conservative and anti-SOGI Langley activist Kari Simpson went to the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal in 2018 to argue the banner 鈥減anders to sex activism, bully tactics, child abuse and special rights for certain groups.鈥�
In response, the City hired the law firm of Norton Rose Fulbright to defend the matter at a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal hearing.
A report to council filed on Sept. 30 by Chief Administrative Officer Francis Cheung described the process as 鈥渓engthy and involved.鈥�
鈥淲hile the City was successful in defending itself against the complaint, the effort and time required by the City鈥檚 solicitor to prepare and submit evidence was considerable, resulting in legal costs totalling $62,058.05,鈥� Cheung wrote.
READ ALSO:
Unlike a court case, where a successful applicant can apply to have the other party or parties pay a portion of their legal costs, at a Humans Right hearing costs are less likely to be awarded, with the Human Rights Code saying they can be ordered when a party 鈥渉as engaged in improper conduct during the course of the complaint.鈥�
When the City rejected Simpson鈥檚 complaint about the Pride flag, she asked to fly what she called the 鈥淐anadian Christian Flag鈥� on what she termed the 鈥淣ational Day of Blessing.鈥�
Simpson identified herself as the 鈥渉ead organizer for the Langley Christian Flag committee and the organizer for the National Day of Blessings鈥� when she launched her complaint to the tribunal.
READ ALSO:
鈥淎ccording to publicly available information filed by the City, the City says that Ms. Simpson appears to be the creator of the 鈥楴ational Day of Blessings鈥� and the 鈥楥anadian Christian flag鈥� and Oct. 1, 2018 appears to be the first time that Ms. Simpson celebrated this day and flag,鈥� the tribunal鈥檚 judgment said. 鈥淢s. Simpson does not dispute this.鈥�
Simpson held a rally outside City hall at which the flag was displayed, but it was not raised on a City flagpole.
In April, the tribunal .
There was no evidence of any danger to her life, or of how the City might have incited 鈥渃ontempt and hatred for Christians鈥� as she claimed, the ruling stated.
It went on to point out the long history of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.
鈥淧ride celebrations help to counteract the historical discrimination committed against LGBTQ+ communities and help to bring those communities from a position of disadvantage to a more equal standing with heterosexual and cisgendered individuals who have historically enjoyed societal acceptance,鈥� the ruling said. 鈥淭he act of flying the Rainbow Flag also serves a similar purpose.鈥�
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
