Editor’s note: Quotes from Brian Thomas added.
Les and Sue Molnar, operators of the now-closed Riverbend Bed and Breakfast, must pay over $4,500 in a BC Human Rights Tribunal case ruling after refusing service to a gay couple.
The Molnars operated the bed and breakfast in Grand Forks, B.C. between 2007 and September 2009 and refused service to Shaun Eadie and Brian Thomas in June 2009 after finding out the two were gay.
The Molnars citied religious beliefs; they are members of the Mennonite Brethren Church.
Eadie and Thomas subsequently filed a complaint against the Molnars, saying that they were discriminated against based on their sexual orientation but the Molnars denied any discrimination saying that they had a constitutionally protected right to freedom of religion, according to the human rights tribunal decision.
In the decision, BC Human Rights Tribunal member Enid Marion said that The Riverbend was not operated by a church or religious organization and while the Riverbend was operated by individuals with “sincere religious beliefs respecting same-sex couples, and out of a portion of their personal residence, it was still a commercial activity.”
Marion said, “It was the Molnars’ personal and voluntary choice to start up the business in their personal residence.”
The Molnars will pay Eadie and Thomas each the sum of $1,500 for injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect, the ruling said.
As well, because of adjourned hearing dates, the Molnars will pay each of them $340 for travel and accommodation (related to a second hearing) and $403 to Eadie and $447 to Thomas for lost wages.
“We don’t hold any ill-will against anybody, against the complainants or the human rights tribunal or anybody else – we never have,” Les Molnar told the Grand Forks Gazette.
“We will respect the tribunal’s decision and we won’t be proceeding any further on an appeal,” he said.
Thomas for his part, said he and Eadie were happy with the tribunal’s decision.
“We’re very pleased with the ruling,” Thomas said. “It’s a very decisive ruling. It left no grey area, it was a clear-cut case and this reflects that.”
Thomas also said he didn’t have any ill-will to the Molnars or Grand Forks for that matter.
“We harbour no ill-will nor do we view this as a reflection on Grand Forks itself; there are wonderful people who live there,” he said.
“My partner’s aunt lives there – that’s what brought us out there – and we certainly do not think that everybody in Grand Forks has the same sentiments as the Molnars and we also don’t think they’re bad people, we just think they made a bad decision.”
Thomas added that Eadie and he could be here in the next few weeks.
