Re. June 7 Advocate news story Human rights ruling disputed:

The story is about the Alberta human rights commission ruling that orders me to offer Darren Lund a written public apology.

It quotes Lund saying, “I certainly didn’t request an apology, so that was a bit of a surprise.”

“I don’t see the value in an insincere apology.”

Lund’s response fails to surprise me.

What’s interesting is that an apology is precisely what he sought for almost six years.

Lund’s original complaint to the rights commission asked that I pay thousands of dollars in fines to him and to Egale Canada, a pro-gay lobby group, in addition to a written apology.

He further requested that if I failed to provide the apology, an order be put into place that would ban me from having my opinions published in every major newspaper in Alberta.

Egale responded publicly by refusing to accept a fine designated to them.

Egale further stated that though it does not agree with my opinions, more importantly, it did not support Lund’s complaint against me.

After Lund’s original complaint was rejected, he appealed on University of Calgary letterhead.

Unfortunately, his appeal was granted and he amended his request for a remedy.

He asked for $5,000 for himself, $5,000 payable to an arm of the Alberta Teachers’ Association plus, once again, a written apology.

Here is his request for the apology word for word: “Dr. Lund requests the panel provide an order directing Mr. Boissoin to publish a full apology in the Red Deer Advocate within one month of this panel’s decision. Mr. Boissoin is to apologize for submitting the article and for his views on homosexuality.”

Lund did not just request an apology for my letter to the editor but also for my personal, deeply held religious views.

He went on to request that “If Mr. Boissoin fails to comply with the order, that the panel provide an order disallowing the publication of Mr. Boissoin’s views on homosexuality in any of the major print media in Alberta, including the Red Deer Advocate, Red Deer Express, Calgary Herald, Calgary Sun, Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun and Lethbridge Herald.”

These excerpts can be verified at www.albertahumanrights.ab.ca/LundDarren113007Pa.pdf

Lund is correct when he says that there is no value in an insincere apology.

But instead of acknowledging that for the last six years he has sought an order that I provide one, he acts totally surprised.

I will never offer an apology. I stand behind what I said (my interpretation of it) in my 2002 letter to the editor.

Stephen Boissoin

Red Deer