LifeSiteNews.com
Tuesday June 13, 2006
Workers Union Refusing to Budge on Anti-Catholic Bias, Head Honchos Throwing Insults
By John Jalsevac
OTTAWA, ON, June 13, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Members and representatives in the top rungs of the hierarchy of the federal public service union that has refused an employee the right contained in the union’s constitution to divert her dues are refusing to clarify or apologize for offensive remarks they made about the employee in question.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) has refused Treasury Board employee Susan Comstock the right contained in their constitution to redirect her dues based upon conscientious objection. Comstock, who is a Catholic, made the request initially in 2004, on the grounds that PSAC’s open support for Bill C-38, the bill to legalize same-sex “marriage,” went against her personal beliefs.
She was refused her request, in part on the basis that the union enforces a policy of zero-tolerance for homophobia and heterosexism, the latter being defined as “the presumption that everyone is heterosexual and that heterosexuality is superior to other forms of loving.”
The problem with this, Comstock has pointed out, is that by definition any Catholic, or any member of a large number of faiths, are by definition “heterosexist,” since the Church and many Christian and non-Christian sects and faiths condemn all homosexual behaviour as immoral.
On April 17 of this year Ed Cashman, the Executive Vice-President of the union, was quoted in the Ottawa Sun stating, “While Comstock wouldn’t likely run afoul of the union’s zero-tolerance policy for respectfully stating her views, she could be slapped for harassment if she offended co-workers with a rant or diatribe.”
David McDonald, the President of PSAC local chapter 70160, which voted in May to affirm Comstock’s right to divert her union dues, has called on Cashman to either clarify or apologize for his remarks.
“Cashman does not substantiate his rationale for feeling the need to warn Ms. Comstock that she could be slapped for harassment,” says McDonald. In a letter sent to Cashman, calling on him to either clarify or apologize, McDonald writes, “there is no public record of Sister Comstock offending workers with a rant or a diatribe. However, one person's ‘respectful presentation’ may easily be considered a ‘rant’ or ‘diatribe’ by someone who may be easily offended. This has created a chilling affect [sic] and seems to make Catholics unwelcome in the union.”
McDonald set a deadline of May 31 for Cashman to apologize or clarify. The Executive Vice-President responded to McDonald’s e-mail only to indicate that he may have been misquoted, but refused to say whether or not the Sun had indeed quoted him correctly.
McDonald then wrote back, pointing out that it is impossible to continue the discussion until Cashman states if he was quoted correctly, and if so what he meant by his remarks. Cashman has not responded since.
Meanwhile, Craig Spence, a lawyer for the PSAC, offered similarly offensive remarks, saying, “Sister Comstock has the right to dislike homosexuals and believe they should have no recognition and associated rights within society. However, she has no right to act upon those beliefs in the workplace and injure members of that group. She is unhappy because the PSAC has acted to ensure those members are not penalized in life due to sexual orientation.”
McDonald expressed his perplexity about Spence’s remarks: “How the lawyer for the PSAC got from Ms. Comstock’s request to have her union dues diverted because of her religious objections to ‘she is unhappy because the PSAC has acted to ensure those members are not penalized in life due to sexual orientation’ is unclear. Without substantiation that Ms. Comstock has made outrageous claims contrary to her Church, such a statement will be interpreted that members of the Catholic Church would be pleased to see members penalized in life due to sexual orientation.”
McDonald has told LifeSiteNews.com that the union has created a situation where a member of the union must either choose to be faithful to the union and unfaithful to the Church, or to be faithful to the Church and be punished by the Union. He says that “the Susan Comstock case has raised issue about whether the PSAC’s policy on heterosexism is anti-Catholic. Mr. Cashman’s remarks only validate, for some, the view that we [the union] are anti-Catholic.”
Comstock’s run-in with PSAC comes at the same time that a furor has been created over another Canadian union (CUPE) passing a resolution condemning Israel, calling the actions of the Israeli state “apartheid-like.” CUPE passed this resolution on April 27; it has been condemned by numerous organizations.
The fact is, says McDonald, that unions, including PSAC, are increasingly stepping over the line with their political and social activism, pursuing their own agenda at the risk of discriminating against their own members.
“The policy is wrong,” said Comstock in April when her case started receiving media attention. “In advocating for the rights of one group in union membership, they are discriminating against another group.”
“This is a contravention of the union’s own constitution,” she said, saying the union is supposed to treat everyone equally and respect religious rights.
To contact PSAC and express concerns:
Public Service Alliance of Canada
233 Gilmour Street
Ottawa, ON K2P 0P1
(613)560-4200
Email the national president of PSAC, John Gordon, at: NAT-PRES@PSAC-AFPC.COM
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Union Local Supports Catholic Member's Bid to Redirect Dues away from Gay "Marriage"
Support
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/may/06052508.html
Canadian Union Refuses Member’s Right to Oppose Gay “Marriage”
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/apr/06041902.html
