Press Release

October 3, 1996

Supreme Court of Canada Agrees to Hear Alberta Sexual Orientation Case

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled today that it will hear an appeal from the Alberta Court of Appeal in the case of Vriend v. Alberta. The case concerns whether the Alberta human rights legislation must be extended to include "sexual orientation" as a prohibited ground of discrimination.

"By agreeing to hear the case, the Supreme Court has recognized the importance of this issue", said John Fisher, Executive Director of EGALE. "It is up to the Court to intervene, since the Legislature of Alberta has refused to accord equality to lesbian and gay Albertans. Every province in Canada except Alberta, P.E.I. and Newfoundland now recognize the right of lesbians and gays to be protected from discrimination, and Newfoundland has recently announced its intention to bring its Human Rights Act into line with the rest of Canada."

"Alberta risks being seen as the dinosaur of the country and an embarrassment to Canadians unless its Legislature acts to treat all its citizens equally. It is a sorry day for the Province when the Government of Alberta is so committed to discrimination that it has to be dragged before the highest court in the land rather than extend equality," added Fisher.

Delwin Vriend, an employee in a religious school who was dismissed because of his homosexuality, sought the right to file a human rights complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission, but was unable to do so because the Alberta Legislature has refused to add "sexual orientation" to its Individual Rights Protection Act.

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Advancing equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-identified people and their families across Canada