RE: No gay-free law school should stand in Canada (Feb 7, 2013)
To the editor of
The Globe and Mail ,
Whoever pens the Globe’s editorial comments would do well to gain an understanding of Canada’s constitution, the basic concepts of its interpretation by the Supreme Court of Canada and the foundational precepts of living in a free and democratic society.
Trinity Western University is a private Christian university that has established a covenant for staff and students that those who attend, including gay students who have spoken publicly, appreciate. The covenant contributes to the environment of one of Canada’s consistently highest rated post-secondary education institutions – including rankings in the annual Globe and Mail survey. The covenant is consistent with the values of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, B.C.’s Human Rights Code and the accreditation requirements of B.C.’s Ministry of Advanced Education; as well as biblical principles.
Human beings in a free and democratic society are not precluded from participation in the public square or the practice of law because of their worldview, i.e. their perspective on life. The 2001 Supreme Court of Canada decision in regard to TWU empowered the university to demonstrate its capacity to graduate top quality teachers, nurses, business professionals (MBA) and more who augment both Christian and non-Christian workplaces in the private and public sectors.
The law school proposed for TWU is fundamentally in line with Canadian law. And, based on their track record, TWU law grads will excel at the fair and non-discriminatory practice of law.
Sincerely,
Don Hutchinson
Vice-President, General Legal Counsel
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada