NDP MLAs who are members of the bar to vote against TWU policy

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – New Democrat MLAs who are members of the bar plan to vote against a policy they say discriminates against LGBT students.

A meeting of the Law Society of BC is being held today to decide if lawyers trained at Trinity Western University will be allowed to practice in this province.

MLA Leonard Krog says this is a very important question for British Columbians and lawyers have a unique role in society.

“I think it’s important that the lawyers of the province send a signal that we’re not prepared to accept or tolerate the kind of discriminate that is… tied up with the vow that law students would have to take, entering a law school at Trinity Western University.”

“Simply because a student is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender does not mean they have reduced opportunities to become lawyers,” says Krog.

Earlier this year, the Law Society approved a resolution to allow TWU-trained lawyers to practice in BC. But that was challenged by a lawyer from Victoria.

MLA David Eby says he and his fellow NDP caucus members will be voting in favour of equality, “which is to say we’re going to be voting against the covenant that Trinity Western University has imposed, [which] treats gay and lesbian students different than any other students that would like to attend the university.”

Eby says he went to a Catholic grade school, high school, and college in Ontario. “And in my time at that Catholic college, it was a wonderful school that admitted everyone who was interested, without discrimination. It wasn’t necessary to discriminate to create that culture of Christian community.”

More than 2,000 lawyers have pre-registered for tonight’s special meeting.

Trinity Western University president Bob Kuhn says it’s unfortunate that a misunderstood issue has tainted how people view a school that has graduated excellent students for more than 50 years.

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