City applies to have prayer complaint dismissed

SASKATOON – There has been another turn in a complaint filed with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

The City of Saskatoon has applied to the SHRC have a complaint filed by Ashu Solo over a prayer made at a city volunteer banquet in 2012 dismissed.

In its application to the commission, the city says the complaint was made in bad faith or for improper motives or is frivolous or vexatious.

The city also says there has been a lack of procedural fairness in the handling of the complaint to such an extent a hearing is not warranted.

Solo says the city’s application is a waste of “time and money of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission” and accused the city of making a frivolous and vexatious application to have his complaint dismissed.

Solo filed his complaint against the city and Councillor Randy Donauer after Donauer said a prayer at a volunteer banquet in April 2012.

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This past March, the SHRC found there was enough evidence to merit further investigation.

Solo says if the SHRC dismissed his case on a technicality, he will file a new complaint the next time a prayer is said at a civic event he attends.

Both sides in the dispute have until Oct. 25 to file their arguments at which time the head of the commission, David Arnot, will make a decision.

However, Solo has asked Arnot to recuse himself from the case, stating Arnot and Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison have a long friendship going back to their high school days affecting his ability to be neutral and unbiased.

Two other complaints filed by Solo against the city have been dismissed by the SHRC.

He filed a complaint against the city over “Merry Christmas” being displayed on city buses and over the former Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast.

The SHRC said there was not enough evidence to merit the complaints being filed.

Solo has vowed to take his fight over the bus message to the Court of Queen’s Bench “when time permits.”

He says the court is a better venue to argue the message violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and only filed the complaint in the SHRC as there was no cost to him and they provided legal representation.