EMO, Ont. — The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has officially notified the Township of Emo that it is investigating a complaint filed against it by Borderland Pride.
The LGBTQ2 organization in the Rainy River district has alleged that the township council's refusal to adopt a resolution declaring June as Pride Month, and to display the Rainbow Flag, was discriminatory.
The complaint was filed in June but the tribunal only sent the township a letter Tuesday to advise that a legal proceeding has been commenced against it.
The application names the township and three members of council as the respondents – Mayor Harold McQuaker, Harrold Boven and Warren Toles.
They have until Dec. 15 to file a response.
Besides Borderland Pride, the applicants include the Northern Ontario Pride Network, Douglas Judson and Katie Shoemaker.
They want the tribunal to order the muncipality to apologize, and that the mayor and councillors receive training on diversity, inclusion, and human rights, with a focus on LGBTQ2 issues.
The applicants have said that if there's a financial award, the money will be used to fund Pride and LGBTQ2-inclusion programming in the Emo area.
