New Brunswick reviewing approval of B.C. Christian law school with antigay policy

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      The Law Society of New Brunswick announced that it will hold a special meeting to review its decision to approve the controversial proposed law school at Trinity Western University in the Fraser Valley.

      The meeting, to be held on September 13 in Fredericton, N.B., was triggered after 229 members signed a petition to ask the society to reverse its decision, made in June, to accredit the school.

      The Christian school in Langley, B.C., requires students to sign a covenant that prohibits all sex unless it is within a marriage between a man and a woman.

      The New Brunswick law society motion states that "the Community Covenant Agreement thereby discriminates against members of the LGBTTQ community" and that "the accreditation of Trinity Western University, while it maintains and promotes the discriminatory policy reflected in its Community Covenant Agreement, would not be in the public interest or the interest of justice and would not serve to promote and improve the status of lawyers in society".

      At a special general meeting in June, the Law Society of B.C. voted 3,210 to 968 against admitting the law school to the society. However, the resolution, in response to approval in April, is not binding. 

      The B.C. accreditation was granted in spite of a 26-page report in March 2013 that detailed serious concerns raised by five Canadian lawyers, hired by the provincial government, about issues including the proposed law school’s academic freedom, its world view, the teaching of legal skills, and the quality of courses.

      Law societies in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, and the Yukon have granted the university accreditation. Ontario and Nova Scotia denied the school accreditation due to its convenant.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at twitter.com/cinecraig. You can also follow the Straight's LGBT coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/StraightLGBT.  

      Comments

      6 Comments

      Rick in Richmond

      Aug 22, 2014 at 2:21pm

      Beyond the fundamental bias that propels TWU's 'covenant', and that offends Canadian standards of tolerance and decency, lies another problem.

      TWU law grads will be, significantly, unemployable.

      Consider their professional obligation to disclose. "You are unmarried-but-sexually-active/ gay/bi/trans/liberal/and-or progressive. It is my firm belief that you are going to hell. Your refusal to accept my God damns you for all eternity. I have signed a Covenant that so instructs me.

      "Nonetheless, if you pay me enough money I will represent you. I will also pray for your Hellbound soul."

      Who on earth would hire such a lawyer? It is beyond ridiculous.

      blah

      Aug 22, 2014 at 3:43pm

      It's perfectly legal, yet people oppose on supposed higher "moral" grounds. Funny how the left has no problem ignoring the law for supposed moral purposes. You guys are worst than the extreme right wing.

      Was confused

      Aug 23, 2014 at 10:58am

      The students at TWU are nice, hardworking, honest, truthful, trustworthy people. Whoops. I get it now. The law societies need keep people like that out.

      ridiculousness

      Aug 24, 2014 at 5:19am

      A law school (or any post-secondary school) will force students to sign an agreement upon registration, basically as a condition of registration, binding the student to all sorts of extra-legislative prohibitions. If this discussion were about "the law" being all students are governed by, great. But it isn't. This is one faction against another. Both factions want to use "student agreements" to bind students to greater obligation than what the law provides.

      If Parliament hasn't prohibited it, I should be able to do it, certainly in a law school---too bad post-secondary institutions are run basically like biker gangs, except with less ethics.

      Steve

      Aug 25, 2014 at 12:34pm

      I would be willing to allow accreditation only if the law school makes students sign a covenant that bans all things the Bible bans... Somehow, I don't think they would agree to that!

      Walter

      Sep 17, 2014 at 3:26pm

      Law Societies will do themselves no good, nor that of the people of their province who depend upon them, if they permit Trinity Western University graduates to stand before the bar. Critical in NB right now is the possible overturn of a clear wish by NB'kers that lawyers of such pension for discrimination should function in NB. Please do not legitimate that which the Canadian Charter so clearly prohibits.