Comments on: Christian Horizons

By: Christian Horizons Ontario Superior Court judgement rendered at Bene Diction Blogs On

Tue, 18 May 2010 21:08:14 +0000

[...] In 2001 a Mennonite woman, Christine Heinz filed an employment discrimination suit with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal against Christian Horizons, a Â community living provider in Ontario which receives 75 million dollars a year from the province. The organization is faith based and required employees to sign statements of faith. Heinz went to work for Christian Horizons in 1995. By 1999 she began questioning her sexuality and talked to co-workers. After stress leave and a recommendation she go into ‘reparative therapy’ she left her employment and filed suit. Christian Horizons was ordered by the OHRT to pay back wages of 23 thousand dollars,revise their Lifestyle and Morality Statement employees are required to sign, and take human rights training. The background is here. [...]

By: Canadian Catholic Bishop voter guide at Bene Diction Blogs On

Canadian Catholic Bishop voter guide at Bene Diction Blogs On — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 08:02:25 +0000

[...] of Religion in Canada, two of the HRT cases mentioned are marriage commissioner Orville Nichols and Christian Horizons in Ontario which receives full government funding. Christian Horizons and Nichols are [...]

By: Bene D

Bene D — Sat, 17 May 2008 03:37:37 +0000

Hi Crystal:

I can appreciate this is upsetting to you if you see yourself as a Christian working for a Christian agency and being paid by taxpayers.

Did you know Ms. Heinz or any of the people named in the OHRC ruling?

Were you asked to sign a Lifestyle and Morality Statement?

If you could no longer abide by it in good faith, what would you do?

Have you ever attended employee bible study/prayer meetings?

Have you seen people fired for none compliance of the statement as opposed to provincial standards of ethics and care?

I’m failing to see how the ruling is condemning the quality of care CH provides, nor is the province unaware of who stepped in when deinstitutionalization occured. CH did not meet the exemption clause.
This is an individual employment case, and I can appreciate you enjoy your job as one of 2500 employees.

How does this ruling ‘not add Jesus’ to the job?

By: Crystal

Crystal — Sat, 17 May 2008 02:53:41 +0000

Wait what are you talking about forced to attend a bible study??? I am CH worker and they have never told me hey you have to go to a Bible study??? I am proud to work for CH. I am sick and tired of this all. I am there to help and support my residents. I work for them and yes GLAD that Jesus is added into the agency.
Violette no resident had to do that just the workers. We in no way and i am going to repeat this NOWAY force God on them. If they do not want to go to church will we support them still. I would say CH has gone to far if they made residents do that.
I am sorry yet a Christian angecy is of course going to place God first. I do like that in this you did not bash the workers or CH in anyway just stated what you felt.
I just got to ask??? CH is funded by the goverment..grew to be the largest care giver provider in Ontario the goverment knew it is Christian. Now the goverment tells us what we are??? Since 1960. It has 2500 workers (including me in it). If that does not make anybody think that God is alive what does? Oh how about me going into work getting smiles and hugs from my resdients. How does this affect them??? That is a question inorged the whole time? CH was wrong in some areas yet so was she (as in the that sued CH which by the way I got some viwes on this suing a christian agnecy). Now CH is in the media all the time. Yet hey Good or bad media always helps.

By: BD

BD — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:48:52 +0000

Violette, thanks, the prayer was written by Victor Hugo.

I’ve seen appalling bigoted comments from Christians on this decision. I appreciate hearing a thoughtful and compassionate voice.

HRC tribunals are best set up to hear employment and rental cases, while they have ventured into areas I think they are best staying out of, I don’t see this case as being one of them.

By: Violette

Violette — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:05:03 +0000

That is a sad commentary in today’s world. Did any of the people needing care have to sign a similar agreement before entering their facility.

Hopefully the right people will get the right message. I hope that some fellow employees saw this as an error in judgement and can assist in change.

I love your benediction prayer on your blog.