The applicant, Vriend, was a gay man whose employment contract was terminated after his employer adopted a position statement stating that homosexuality was contrary to its religious mandate. After an unsuccessful complaint to the Alberta Human Rights Board, Vriend appealed the decision on the basis that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation was an unjustified violation of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Supreme Court held that sexual orientation was indeed a prohibited ground of discrimination and that IRPA should be interpreted as such.
Vriend v Alberta, Supreme Court of Canada, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 49D
Judgment of the Supreme Court of Canada finding in favour of the applicant's right to non-discrimination, a gay man who was dismissed from his job because of his sexual orientation