Christian lawyers face discrimination
BMO requires law firms to disclose diversity statistics
It’s a difficult time for Christian professionals in Canada, especially for lawyers.
In B.C. Trinity Western University continues its struggle to launch its School of Law, hampered by opposition from some law societies and others who say the evangelical school should not require its students to sign a covenant asking them to abstain “from sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman.”
Directly disputing the start up of TWU’s School of Law with a recent letter to the Ontario Bar Association, the Bank of Montreal (BMO) has taken things a step further.
BMO has helped establish Legal Leaders for Diversity (LLD), a group that includes the heads of legal departments from 72 massive corporations—including Bell Canada, Coca-Cola Canada, Dell, Ford, The Globe and Mail, and the Edmonton Oilers. Part of the group’s mission statement is to “support vendors and suppliers whose ownership or employee base reflects a commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
In a letter written in August 2014 to the National Committee of Accreditation, the LLD publicly opposed TWU’s School of Law because of the covenant requirement.
In the letter, LLD argued that “such an open exclusion of gay, lesbian and bi-sexual law students is discriminatory.”
Two months later, the BMO contacted their legal suppliers to inform them “BMO requires the law firms with whom we do business to disclose the diversity statistics of their associates, partners and management committee as part of our External Counsel Selection Program.”
The Canadian Christian Business Foundation sees this as a direct attack against Christians who do not promote gay and lesbian lifestyles. It encourages its members to sign a petition against the move, visit with local BMO bank managers and file complaints.
“If the Legal Leaders for Diversity were indeed committed to diversity and inclusion, they would be rallying around the right of TWU to practice what it preaches when it comes to morality,” says CCBF executive director Keith Knight.
“LLD should be encouraging diversity within the legal profession, urging Christians, Muslims and others to bring their various perspectives into the profession. Instead, they choose to discriminate against all Christian lawyers.”
Some CCBF members have moved their business to another bank, cancelled their BMO credit cards and spoken to some of the corporations with whom they do business who are part of the LLD.
In a letter addressed to BMO’s Chief Executive Officer, CCBF member John Hultink writes:
“...what I do not understand is when it became the core responsibility of a Canadian bank to dictate to fellow Canadians what they ought and ought not to believe.”
Hultink also points out in the letter that BMO “is spending tens of millions of dollars to employ people in India, a country where societal and legal condemnation of homosexual behaviour is legendary...
“How does your use of a work force in India reflect the ideals of your business partner arrangements there? This appears to be nothing but gross hypocrisy, and it completely nullifies the bank’s empty, ‘pretty’ speeches about diversity and inclusion.”
Bruce Clemenger, president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, also finds BMO’s opposition of TWU’s law school troubling.
“Faith based institutions have long contributed to the religious diversity and public good of Canadian society,” says Clemenger. “Having a Christian law school may attract more Christians into the practice of law, which is a good things if you are indeed interested in promoting diversity among practicing lawyers.”
Photo by Ian Muttoo (Flickr CC)
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