Same-sex Marriage in Saskatchewan - Human Rights Complaint: M.J. V. Nichols

Human Rights Complaint: M.J. V. Nichols

In 2005, Orville Nichols, a 30-year marriage commissioner and devout Baptist, refused to marry a gay couple, M.J. and B.R., because it conflicted with his religious beliefs. M.J. filed a complaint under The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, on the basis that "...Mr. Nichols refused to perform a marriage between M.J. and B.R. on the basis of the prohibited ground of M.J.’s sexual orientation." The Saskatchewan Human Rights Tribunal ordered Nichols to pay $2,500 in compensation to the couple for infringing their right under The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code to access to public services without discrimination. In 2009, the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench dismissed Nichols' appeal.

Read more about this topic:  Same-sex Marriage In Saskatchewan

Famous quotes containing the words human rights, human and/or rights:

    We can rejoice that the time has arrived when millions of Negro Americans can step out of the shadows, and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights.
    Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)

    Promises are the uniquely human way of ordering the future, making it predictable and reliable to the extent that this is humanly possible.
    Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)

    The common goal of 22 million Afro-Americans is respect as human beings, the God-given right to be a human being. Our common goal is to obtain the human rights that America has been denying us. We can never get civil rights in America until our human rights are first restored. We will never be recognized as citizens there until we are first recognized as humans.
    Malcolm X (1925–1965)