Hamilton City Council has voted 13-2 to enter into lease negotiations with Cardus – the self-acclaimed, non-partisan Christian think-tank that has offered to restore an historic stone mansion on Hamilton’s mountain brow for use as its head office.
A detailed proposal for use of Balfour Estate, which currently stands vacant and needs more than a million dollars in repairs, is expected to be put before councillors later this fall.
Wednesday night’s debate was dominated by concerns about Cardus’ compliance with city values.
Ward 3 Coun. Nrinder Nann, who along with Ward 1 Coun. Maureen Wilson voted against pursuing an agreement, says residents have reached out to her through emails and phone calls with concerns about the organization’s views on certain equity issues.
Nann, after a review of articles published on Cardus’ website, says she agrees that some articles “undeniably espouse some viewpoints that could limit the perception of a woman’s right to reproductive health and choice”, “diminish the humanity of our two-spirit and LGBTQ+ residents” and could be seen as “anti-union and climate change denying.”
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Cardus, in a statement, has countered what it calls “unfounded aspersions”, saying it is an “open and tolerant” organization that’s done research on various topics, including poverty reduction, social isolation and labour rights.
Ward 4 Coun. Sam Merulla adds that choosing business partners based on faith-based ideology is a “slippery slope” noting, in that case, “the Catholic church and Catholic school board and Anglican Church and Indwell, we shouldn’t be partnering with any of these.”
Stoney Creek Coun. Brad Clark goes a step further saying that “to deny a lease to a self-acclaimed non-partisan, Christian think-tank on these grounds, could open the city to litigation, a human right’s challenge or at the very least allegations of religious discrimination.”