issue 10 / volume 41

Trinity Western law school voted down

» Vote is 74 per cent against the university

Angela Espinoza
y News Editor
f NM news
3 * @theotherpress.ca

n October 30, after a
months-long debate,

turned down by the BC Law
Society as an accredited law
school.

Trinity Western’s new law

by the BC Law Society back in
April. The law school itself was
approved of back in December
of last year. However, the
Christian university’s stance
on banning gay sex led many
outside the school to feel the
bias would ultimately have
negative effects regarding law
studies in Canada.

All students who study at
Trinity Western are required
to sign a pledge that they will
not engage in “sexual intimacy
that violates the sacredness of
marriage between a man and a
woman.’ Trinity Western’s law
school, which was set to open

: by September 2016, would have
: been the first Christian-based —:
: law school in Canada, according :
: toa CBC piece published in :
: April.

By September, there

: was increasing demand for
= : a referendum regarding the
Trinity Western Law School was : decision to recognize Trinity

: Western’s law school.

The vote saw 74 per cent

: reverse the society’s earlier
. : approval. Trinity Western’s
school was previously approved : spokesperson Guy Saffold
: told CBC, “The university is

: disappointed with this vote.

“Trinity Western believes

: in diversity and the rights of

: all Canadians to their personal
: beliefs and values. A person’s —:
: ability to study and practice the :
: law should not be restricted by
: their faith.”

When the university began

: teaching education in 2001, an
: identical situation occurred

: where many felt future teachers :
: who learned at Trinity Western
: would enter their fields with

: unwelcoming bias to the

: LGBTQ+ community. The case

SCHOOL
OF
ee

: was eventually brought to the
: Supreme Court of Canada,

: which approved the school of
: education.

While some are

: disheartened by the
: referendum’s decision, many
: feel the vote was justified.

Michael Mulligan, a

Victoria-based lawyer who has
: been against the law school,

: told Global News, “Respect

: for equality is a foundation

: principle of the rule of law

: and should be a foundation
: principle of the legal

: profession.”

In a statement to CBC,

: Mulligan added, “The

: policies of this university are

: inconsistent with core values of :
: legal profession insofar that this :

news // 5

 

: university continues to dispel or
: expel students for their private
: sexual activities.”

Despite the decision,

: Trinity Western is challenging

: the referendum and planning

: on bringing the case to court.

: The school defends they have a
: right to practice their religious

: beliefs despite their professions

and educations.

US Secretary of State Kerry visits Ottawa

» Visit shows solidarity between Canada, United States

Patrick Vaillancourt
Senior Columnist

nited States Secretary of State John Kerry
visited Ottawa last week, the first senior

the horrific attacks that left two Canadian
soldiers dead.

Kerry first met with Foreign Affairs
Minister John Baird and laid a wreath at the
National War Memorial in Ottawa, the site
where Corporal Nathan Cirillo was shot and
killed by a lone gunman, who later stormed
Parliament Hill.

Kerry said that the attacks in Quebec
and Ottawa are reminiscent of the attack last
year in his own hometown, when two bombs
were set off at the finish line of the Boston
Marathon. He offered condolences on behalf

for coming together.

“In the past week, the world has been
witness to Canada’s strength. To your unity,
your courage, your resolve,” Kerry told
reporters in Ottawa.

Kerry went on to say that Canada would
always have a friend in the United States.

Kerry also met with Prime Minister

of Parliament for bilateral talks on climate
change, the intervention against ISIS in
Iraq, and the proposed Keystone XL pipeline
project.

: Corporal Nathan Cirillo, the soldier who was

: shot and killed at the Tomb of the Unknown

: Soldier inside the National War Memorial.

: The regimental funeral was held in Corporal

US official to travel to the nation’s capital after Re ee ea
: and was attended by family, friends, military

: persons, as well as thousands of onlookers.

: Prime Minister Harper was also in attendance,

: and spoke of how proud he was of Canada’s

: armed forces.

: foundation of our country, it has been our men
: and women in uniform who have been in the
: end, their ultimate guardians,” Harper said.

: members of the Armed Forces, being tasked
: with standing guard at the National War

: | Memorial in Ottawa is one of the military’s
of the American people and praised Canadians : eee
: Ottawa gunman, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau. RCMP
: investigators have since retrieved a video

: left behind by Zehaf-Bibeau, which is said

: to contain “evidence” that the shooting was

: “driven by political and ideological motives.”

: The video is still being analyzed, but RCMP

: Commissioner Bob Paulson said he hoped

: Canadians would see the video “someday.”
Stephen Harper and a select group of Members :
: help support the families of Corporal Cirillo

: and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, who

: was killed in a separate attack in Quebec.

: Donations will be distributed equally between
: the two families, and it hopes to raise $750,000.

Kerry’s visit coincided with the funeral of

“For as long as these ideals have been the

Harper went on to explain that, for

Many have questioned the motives of the

An online fund has been established to