The Canadian Human Rights Commission has dismissed accusations that a Roman Catholic magazine was hate literature because it opposed homosexual rights, after Catholic Insight spent more than a year and an estimated $20,000 in legal fees fighting the complaint.Father Alphonse de Valk, the editor of the small Toronto-based magazine, said the decision was welcome, but cautioned that the ruling can still be appealed to the Federal Court.
"It's good news of course," he said. "But I don't want to start celebrating prematurely. If it's appealed to the court, then we may be spending another year on this."
In the ruling yesterday, the commission dismissed the complaint of Edmonton gay activist Rob Wells without a hearing into his allegations that the magazine promoted hatred against homosexuals, "because the material is not likely to expose a person or persons to hatred or contempt based on sexual orientation."
Mr. Wells' three-page complaint, filed in February, 2007, cited parts of 16 articles from the magazine that he claimed portrayed gays as "taking control of the major institutions in society," as preying upon children, as being dangerously violent, and "convey the idea that members of the targeted group are devoid of any redeeming qualities and are innately evil."
But Fr. de Valk vehemently denied the allegations, claiming that Mr. Wells had selectively quoted small parts of several articles out of context.
"All of his charges were false and we proved that," he said. "He plucked quotes from several different articles to give the impression that we were spreading hatred ... it's just not true."
He said the magazine holds strictly to Church teachings that homosexuality is a sin, and objects to the agenda of gay-rights activists, but is not spreading hatred against them. "We weren't attacking any individuals or groups of individuals."
Fr. de Valk said that even if the decision is not appealed, it may prove a pyrrhic victory for the magazine, which boasts a circulation of just under 4,000 subscribers. "It cost us a lot of money ... and for nothing," he said. "I've spent half my time over the past year dealing with this. It was just one thing after another." He said the magazine is considering suing Mr. Wells to recover its legal costs.
Mr. Wells has 30 days to file an appeal of the decision with the courts. He was not immediately available to comment on the ruling.
Fr. de Valk said his magazine not only has the right but the responsibility to report and comment on what he called "homosexual activism" and such important social issues as same-sex marriage, adoption rights and the AIDS epidemic.
"It is chilling to think that a publication can be hauled before a government tribunal simply for reporting to interested citizens developments in these areas of controversy," he said. "This matter underscores once again the necessity of urgent reform of the Canadian human rights system."
He said Catholic Insight was singled out by gay rights activists for its opposition to gay marriage, among other things.
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