A B.C. city乌鸦传媒檚 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 乌鸦传媒減anders to sex activism, bully tactics, child abuse and special rights for certain groups.乌鸦传媒�

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 乌鸦传媒渓engthy and involved.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淲hile the City was successful in defending itself against the complaint, the effort and time required by the City乌鸦传媒檚 solicitor to prepare and submit evidence was considerable, resulting in legal costs totalling $62,058.05,乌鸦传媒� Cheung wrote.

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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 乌鸦传媒渉as engaged in improper conduct during the course of the complaint.乌鸦传媒�

When the City rejected Simpson乌鸦传媒檚 complaint about the Pride flag, she asked to fly what she called the 乌鸦传媒淐anadian Christian Flag乌鸦传媒� on what she termed the 乌鸦传媒淣ational Day of Blessing.乌鸦传媒�

Simpson identified herself as the 乌鸦传媒渉ead organizer for the Langley Christian Flag committee and the organizer for the National Day of Blessings乌鸦传媒� when she launched her complaint to the tribunal.

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乌鸦传媒淎ccording to publicly available information filed by the City, the City says that Ms. Simpson appears to be the creator of the 乌鸦传媒楴ational Day of Blessings乌鸦传媒� and the 乌鸦传媒楥anadian Christian flag乌鸦传媒� and Oct. 1, 2018 appears to be the first time that Ms. Simpson celebrated this day and flag,乌鸦传媒� the tribunal乌鸦传媒檚 judgment said. 乌鸦传媒淢s. Simpson does not dispute this.乌鸦传媒�

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 乌鸦传媒渃ontempt and hatred for Christians乌鸦传媒� as she claimed, the ruling stated.

It went on to point out the long history of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.

乌鸦传媒淧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,乌鸦传媒� the ruling said. 乌鸦传媒淭he act of flying the Rainbow Flag also serves a similar purpose.乌鸦传媒�

dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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