Fr. de Valk Fights Christian Persecution in Canada

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 10, 2008

A monthly Canadian Catholic magazine of news, analysis and opinion has been burdened by $20,000 in legal costs so far to defend itself against a campaign of harassment – including a human rights complaint – launched by homosexual activists.

Catholic Insight magazine had the human rights complaint filed against it in February 2007 by Rob Wells, a member of the Pride Centre of Edmonton. Sixteen months later, the publication is still awaiting a ruling from the Canadian Human Rights Commission on whether the matter will proceed beyond the investigation stage. The magazine has held to the position that the complaint is without basis.

The magazine has also had to engage legal counsel to deal with frivolous and unsuccessful actions launched by a homosexually “married” Toronto resident and disgruntled former Catholic seminarian, who wrote in an August 21, 2007 posting on the http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/ website with respect to opposing religious institutions, “As long as the disruption is non-violent and it is proportionate to the provocation, then I think that it may be acceptable. It may not be legal, it may not be pretty, but it may be morally acceptable in some cases.”

This individual’s campaign of “disruption” against Catholic Insight has included attempting to strip the magazine of its funding under Heritage Canada’s Publications Assistance Program and filing a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Catholic Insight editor Father Alphonse de Valk is deeply offended that the publication, which operates on a modest budget, has been burdened with such unnecessary, but significant, legal expenses for complaints and actions that have so far failed in every case. At the same time, he is heartened by the fact that the magazine’s subscribers and supporters, both within and outside Canada, have stepped forward generously to help the publication deal with its financial challenges through contributions to a Legal Defence Fund.

While pledging that the magazine will not be fazed by the actions and will continue to publish for years to come, de Valk renewed his call for the elimination, or at least radical restructuring, of human rights commissions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Father Alphonse de Valk, (416) 204-9601