Ottawa Citizen: Seniors group must pay [Damage to] Falun Gong adherent

January 26, 2006 Thursday

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has ruled that the Ottawa Chinese Senior Association discriminated against one of its members when it cancelled her membership because she is a Falun Gong follower. The tribunal found the association repeatedly confronted Daiming Huang, 73, publicly revoked her membership, organized petitions against her and made derogatory comments about her beliefs. The tribunal heard expert testimony about popular religions in China, and determined that Falun Gong constitutes a creed, and is therefore protected under Ontario's Human Rights Code. The tribunal ordered the association to pay Ms. Huang $10,000 for loss of dignity and $8,000 for mental anguish. It was also ordered it to reinstate the complainant's membership and allow other Falun Gong followers to join, and to add anti-discriminatory policies to its constitution.