Human Rights Complaint Forces College to Permit Pro-Life Group Official Club Status
VANCOUVER, May 15, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) –The Capilano College Heartbeat Club and the Capilano Students Union (CSU) have reached an agreement that will see the pro-life Heartbeat Club achieve CSU club recognition, pending they submit an application in the fall. The parties released a joint statement shortly after the agreement had been made:
“The Heartbeat Club filed a Human Rights complaint against the Capilano Students’ Union. The Club and the CSU have entered into a settlement agreement which is confidential. The parties agree that there is no admission of liability by the CSU and that the Heartbeat Club will be entitled to CSU club status if they apply.”
The summer of 2006 saw the CSU pass a motion put forward by a member of the campus “Women’s Center” that made the group an official “pro-choice” organization. Shortly after, the CSU denied the Heartbeat Club’s application requesting official CSU club status. After a second application was also denied, for the reason that the club would hinder “a woman’s right to choose”, Heartbeat forwarded a complaint to the British Columbia human rights tribunal, that stated the club was being discriminated based on religious belief
In January of 2008, the tribunal rejected a request by the CSU to dismiss the Heartbeat Club’s complaint. This morning, the two parties reached an agreement that will finally give Heartbeat a chance to be recognized as an official CSU club, allowing them to utilize the University’s facilities in order to carry out their mission.
See Related Coverage:
British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal to Hear College Pro-Life Discrimination Case
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/aug/07082706.html
Human Rights Tribunal: Religious Freedom Not Violated by Campus Ban on Pro-Life Club
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jan/08012205.html
