Though the Supreme Court’s ruling on Vriend v. Alberta helped pave the way for equality for Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ communities, maintaining the road to dignity for all has been tumultuous. There have been many setbacks, followed by advances, followed by setbacks in the subsequent years. It took the Government of Alberta (GOA) 11 years to officially add the words “sexual orientation” to its human rights legislation. It also amended its education act to prohibit teachers from mentioning sexual orientation in schools without advising parents first. This was Alberta’s equivalent to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. And it rolled back equality rights […]

The Supreme Court’s ruling on Vriend v. Alberta has impacted the lives of countless 2SLGBTQI+ people. Not just in Alberta, not just in Canada, but around the globe. In this episode we look at the ripple effect Vriend v. Alberta has had over the past 25 years since first making its splash at the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench in Edmonton. We also return to where this story began, and look at how The King’s University has worked to address its complicated legacy as ground zero for the court case that brought equality to Alberta’s and Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Welcome […]

The Supreme Court had ruled that sexual orientation should be read into Alberta’s human rights legislation. But the Alberta Government had one more tool it could use to deny equality to its Queer population. That option was the Notwithstanding Clause. The province slipped into turmoil as the Alberta Government debated whether or not to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause. As Premier Ralph Klein remained silent, hate and vitriol bubbled to the surface of public discourse resulting in massive letter-writing campaigns and death threats. Welcome to episode 8 of Vriend Versus Alberta. *NOTE: The terms “Queer and Trans” and “sexual and gender […]

Dewlin Vriend and his legal team returned home from the Supreme Court of Canada to find a massive crowd waiting for them at the Edmonton International Airport. Alberta was in a frenzy, and the anticipation built as the province waited for the Supreme Court to issue its ruling on the future of equality for Alberta’s Queer and Trans community. It was going to be a close call.  Delwin’s legal team’s hopes rested with Justice Sopinka — the swing vote. But a week after the hearing, the tragic news of Justice Sopinka’s death shocked the nation. Now, it was anyone’s guess […]