Dec. 10, 2018 (CultureGuard) — BC Social activist Kari Simpson, founder and president of CultureGuard, has filed a human rights complaint against the mayor and council of Langley City collectively, and against city councillor Nathan Pachal individually, for violating the equality standards of the city’s own policies.
The complaint states that the mayor and council also “violated the BC Human Rights Code by providing ‘services’ to only a few select Code-protected groups [LGBTs], and deliberately excluding others [Christians]” when a 2016 amendment to the Langley Flag Policy was made.
Simpson states in her complaint that “The Respondents refused to permit [Christians] use of the city’s courtesy flag pole, and the opportunity to have raised and flown a Christian flag to commemorate and celebrate the National Day of Blessing.
“This request is comparable to the raising and flying of the Rainbow Flag—a request that was approved—and further supported by the Respondents by the assignment of a spokesman to their event!”
In addition, she says, Langley City’s media spokesman, Councillor Nathan Pachal, made many hurtful comments in the media against her, “to fraudulently bolster the position of… Pachal, the mayor and other council members. These comments were highly discriminatory, hurtful, toxic and offensive.”
On July 26, 2018, Simpson had written to Langley City Mayor and Council requesting they reconsider their approval of flying the rainbow flag, which had been publicized in the local newspaper. Simpson detailed a more accurate depiction of what the rainbow flag really symbolizes—the triumph of one group of political activists, specifically sex activists, over the majority population, and especially over Christian parents—and she detailed how offensive and divisive the rainbow flag is to many other Code-protected groups.
Simpson’s letter also reminded the mayor and council of their lawful duty to be both neutral and non-discriminatory. She informed them that the city’s flag policy, as amended, is discriminatory; and she asked them to repeal the provision that unlawfully grants special privilege to the sex activists’ political symbol but denies the same privilege to all other Code-protected groups.
On August 28, 2018 Simpson wrote again to the mayor and council, making a formal application to fly the Christian flag on the courtesy pole, in conjunction with the National Day of Blessing and Thanksgiving, October 1.
A week later, Simpson received an email rejecting her request to fly the Canadian Christian flag—although Christians are also a Code-protected group.
Pachal then made himself available to media, “and with total disregard for the truth, continued to misrepresent the symbolism of the rainbow flag—and suggested that [Simpson] was not being inclusive.”
“As a result of the conduct of the mayor and council and consequent media reports,” says Simpson, “I have been mocked, threatened, and the subject of a vicious campaign, fueled by the conduct of the Langley mayor and council.
“As community leaders, the mayor and council have a duty to uphold the law and to strive for inclusion for all groups. By discriminating against me and against Christians in general, the mayor and council have instead publicized a false narrative, implying that Christians are not worthy of inclusion or respect, and that they should remain invisible… behind their church doors. This is illegal and dangerous!
Their conduct has bolstered increasingly hostile practices, by suggesting that it’s OK to offend, discriminate and incite contempt and hatred for Christians, and any other religious group that doesn’t accept the sex activists’ political agenda.
The injury was exacerbated by Councillor Pachal’s hideously offensive comments in the media,” Simpson added.
Simpson is asking the Human Rights Tribunal to order the mayor and council, and Pachal individually, to apologize publicly; she is also seeking $15,000 damages.
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Contact: Kari Simpson—(778) 277-2201
