I, Ashu M. G. Solo, filed the following:

1. Civil rights case against the City of Saskatoon (Mayor's Office) and Councillor Randy Donauer for prayer recitations at government organized events

2. Code of Conduct complaint against Mayor Don Atchison for potential online campaign advertising violations

3. Civil rights case against the City of Saskatoon (Saskatoon Transit Services) for promoting holidays from only one religion on city buses

4. Human rights complaint against the City of Saskatoon (Executive Committee) for retaliating against me by not reappointing me to the Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Committee and not appointing me to another civic committee or board

5. Human rights complaint against the City of Saskatoon (City Solicitor’s Office) for retaliating against me by trying to deprive me of my right to directly communicate with members of City Council and by telling employees of other City of Saskatoon departments to not talk to me

6. Human rights complaint against the City of Saskatoon (Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Office) and City of Saskatoon (Living in Harmony Ad Hoc Subcommittee of Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Committee) for retaliating against me by not considering my submissions to the Living in Harmony Contest

This site contains my media releases, some case documents, emails to City Council, etc.

I don't waste my time arguing with opponents.

The backlash makes me much more determined to fight against bigotry and shows the need for these civil rights cases, so I'll be filing more civil rights cases. You ain't seen nothing yet.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Email message from Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission on the status of my civil rights complaint against Mayor Don Atchison, Councillor Randy Donauer, and City of Saskatoon

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us] 
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2012 12:37 PM
Subject: Email message from Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission on the status of my civil rights complaint against Mayor Don Atchison, Councillor Randy Donauer, and City of Saskatoon

Dear Media:

The email message below from the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission indicates the status of my civil rights complaint against Mayor Don Atchison, Councillor Randy Donauer, and the City of Saskatoon.  I phoned Marci Macomber and asked her to have the lawyer consider the Canadian Civil Liberties Association letter and my additional arguments document in deciding whether sufficient evidence of reasonable grounds exists.  I will keep you informed of further developments.

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo

From: Macomber, Marci SHRC
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2012 9:12 AM
To: amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us
Subject: FW: Additional Arguments for Civil Rights Complaint against Mayor Don Atchison, Councillor Randy Donauer, and City of Saskatoon

Mr. Solo,

Thank you for your message.  I will put this information on the file.  We are currently awaiting a legal opinion on whether “sufficient evidence of reasonable grounds exist” to believe that The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code may have been violated in the circumstances.  This is a requirement of Section 27 of the Code before we are able to accept and mediate/investigate a formal complaint.  We hope to complete this process shortly and will be in touch at that time.

Meanwhile, do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Marci R. Macomber
Investigator / Facilitator
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission

Additional Arguments for Civil Rights Complaint of Ashu Solo against Mayor Don Atchison, Councillor Randy Donauer, and City of Saskatoon


From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2012 6:01 AM
To: Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission; mayors.office@saskatoon.ca; randy.donauer@saskatoon.ca
Cc: 'glen.penner@saskatoon.ca'; 'pat.lorje@saskatoon.ca'; 'ann.iwanchuk@saskatoon.ca'; 'myles.heidt@saskatoon.ca'; 'charlie.clark@saskatoon.ca'; 'mairin.loewen@saskatoon.ca'; 'tiffany.paulsen@saskatoon.ca'; 'bev.dubois@saskatoon.ca'; 'darren.hill@saskatoon.ca'
Subject: Additional Arguments for Civil Rights Complaint against Mayor Don Atchison, Councillor Randy Donauer, and City of Saskatoon

Dear Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission:

I am attaching my additional arguments for my complaint against Mayor Donald Atchison, Councillor Randy Donauer, and the City of Saskatoon. 

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo


Additional Arguments for Civil Rights Complaint of Ashu M. G. Solo against
Mayor Don Atchison, Councillor Randy Donauer, and City of Saskatoon

By Ashu M. G. Solo

It's my position and the position of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association that freedom of conscience in section 2a of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms includes freedom from religion, that the Charter forbids attempts to coerce, limit, or otherwise influence the choice of religious observance, and that section 27 of the Charter on multiculturalism forbids conferring special privileges or benefits on any particular religion.

Separation of religion and government means government can't interfere with freedom to practice religion, but also means government can't promote any religion.  This is to protect people of all religions including Christians.  Separation of religion and government is a fundamental aspect of freedom of religion.

When Don Atchison and Randy Donauer have Christian prayer recitations at civic events, it sends the message that there is a priority given to Christian values, it sends the message that Christians are more valued or welcome than others while marginalizing others, it sends the message that a citizen is second class if she’s not a Christian, it sends the message that only Christians can serve on City Council because a non-Christian won’t have a Christian prayer, it sends the message that only Christians should volunteer for civic committees and boards, it makes Saskatoon look like an archaic city of religious intolerance, and it forces those who object to the prayer to either sit through the prayer against their religion, conscience, or will or leave the room and be embarrassed in doing so.  This is absolutely disgraceful. 

The Christian prayer recitation is a coercive attempt at Christian indoctrination because it sends the message that Christians are more valued or welcome than others while marginalizing others, it sends the message that a citizen is second class if she’s not a Christian, it sends the message that only Christians can serve on City Council because a non-Christian won’t have a Christian prayer, and it sends the message that volunteers on civic committees and boards are not treated equally if they’re not Christian.  The Christian prayer recitation at a civic event is a coercive attempt at Christian indoctrination because it sends the message to non-Christians that they need to convert to Christianity if they want to fit in at city events, if they want to be a first-class citizen whose rights are respected, if they want to serve on City Council, and if they want to volunteer for civic committees or boards.

The Quebec Human Rights Tribunal ruled against Saguenay City Council having prayer recitations in Simoneau C. Tremblay, as can be seen at

The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled against the Penetanguishene Town Council having prayer recitations in Freitag v. Penetanguishene (Town), as can be seen at

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission ruled against Saskatoon Public Schools having prayer recitations.

When Brent Loucks of News Talk 650 CKOM asked Don Atchison on air on April 24, 2012 whether he’s going to stop having public Christian prayer recitations at municipal government events in response to my complaint, Don Atchison started talking about how this city was founded on Christianity by a Christian priest named John Lake.  You can hear this on The Brent Loucks Show starting at 3 minutes 30 seconds of http://www.ckom.com/sites/default/files/Mayor_Atchison_Apr24.mp3.  How is this relevant at all?  How is it relevant to whether there should be public Christian prayers recited at official city events in 2012 that the city was founded by a Christian priest?  In 2012, Saskatoon is an extremely diverse city with people from numerous religions as well as spiritual people, agnostics, and atheists.  Why would Don Atchison say this unless he’s trying to imply that Saskatoon should be a Christian city today?  Saskatoon is not a Christian city today.  It is supposed to be and is advertised as a secular multireligious city in a secular multireligious country where all citizens are supposed to be treated equally.  Let’s have what is advertised.  Saskatoon is not advertised as an exception to the secular multireligious nature of Canada.  People moving to Saskatoon are not told that it’s a Christian city.  By talking about the Christian heritage of Saskatoon when asked if he’s going to stop having Christian prayer recitations at municipal events, Don Atchison is clearly implying that he thinks Saskatoon was founded as a Christian city and therefore should still be a Christian city today.  This is extremely discriminatory and bigoted.  How is this not religious bigotry?  Don Atchison should be ashamed of himself. 

When Randy Donauer was questioned by Betty Ann Adam of The StarPhoenix, he said he’s for freedom and tolerance and clearly meant that I’m not for freedom and tolerance for saying City of Saskatoon events should not have Christian prayer recitations.  You can see this in “Christian prayer sparks complaint” at
 http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/Christian+prayer+sparks+complaint/6496119/story.html.  I am attaching a copy of this article.  This means he thinks that people against him trying to lead a diverse audience in a Christian prayer at a municipal government event are against freedom and tolerance.  Essentially he’s saying he should have the freedom to abuse his government office to impose his religious beliefs on others who don’t share them and give primacy to his religion over all other religions while acting as an agent of the state.  This is extremely discriminatory and bigoted.  How is this not religious bigotry?  Randy Donauer should be ashamed of himself.

What were the two of them possibly thinking to do such a discriminatory and bigoted thing as to try to lead a multireligious audience in a Christian prayer at a municipal government event?  What kind of mannerless bigot would try to lead Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and atheists in a Christian prayer?  Don Atchison and Randy Donauer are free to do whatever they want with religion while they’re not acting as agents of the state, but they’re not free to try to lead non-Christians in a Christian prayer at a taxpayer funded municipal government event.

Don Atchison told StarPhoenix reporter Betty Ann Adam, “I’ve never given it any thought at all.”  You can also see this in “Christian prayer sparks complaint” at
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/Christian+prayer+sparks+complaint/6496119/story.html.  I am attaching a copy of this article.  I don’t buy this nonsense that he never gave it any thought before.  They both knew there have been many complaints about the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast.  Randy Donauer helps organize this event.  I was told there was a Christian prayer recitation at the Volunteer Appreciation Banquet in 2011 too.  And if it were an innocent mistake to have a Christian prayer recitation at the Volunteer Appreciation Banquet, they would have immediately stopped the practice and apologized after I complained instead of vowing to continue it and forcing me to make a complaint against the two of them and the City of Saskatoon with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.

Justin Trottier at the Centre for Inquiry Canada and Canadian Secular Alliance said, “Properly understood, secularism respects and protects everybody’s religion.  Thomas Jefferson said that it serves a dual purpose:  it protects government from religion and religion from government.”

Sheetal Rawal at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association wrote, “The state should have no role in imposing, endorsing or promoting a particular religion over others, nor should it pressure or coerce an individual into a religious practice.”

We don’t live in the 1940s anymore.  Don Atchison, Randy Donauer, and the City of Saskatoon need to get with the 21st century.

I am unwilling to compromise on public prayer recitations being totally eliminated from official city events because this is an extremely discriminatory and bigoted practice.  A “universal” prayer discriminates against agnostics and atheists, who are a large segment of the population.

I am unwilling to accept a moment of silence as an alternative to a prayer recitation because a moment of silence is also an effort by the government to get people to pray.  Therefore, it still violates the separation of religion and government.  Government should not be in the business of encouraging or discouraging any religious practice, even when neutral to all religions because many people don’t practice any religion and many people believe that religions cause harm to society.  If people want to pray before they eat, they can take their own moments of silence.  There’s nothing stopping them.  There shouldn’t be an officially specified moment of silence.

Many of my opponents claim that by fighting against prayers at civic events, I’m forcing atheism on them.  Don Atchison said, “There could even be a dinner with no prayer at all for atheists.”  This is quoted from “Christian prayer sparks complaint” by Betty Ann Adam in The StarPhoenix and other newspapers.  I am attaching a copy of this article.  It can also be seen at http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/Christian+prayer+sparks+complaint/6496119/story.htmlI'm not forcing atheism on anyone.  Secularism is separating government from religion.  Atheism is not believing in religion or a God.  Secularism is not atheism.  Lack of a public prayer recitation isn't atheism.  Lack of a public prayer recitation is secularism.  People are free to pray on their own and I encourage them to do so if they want to do that.  They're not free to abuse their government offices to try to lead people in a public Christian prayer at a taxpayer funded municipal government event. 

A Christian prayer recitation at a civic event is analogous to going to a restaurant where there is only one menu option and the restaurateur force feeds you with that single menu option.  Secularism is analogous to going to a restaurant and being able to eat whatever you want.  The former is suitable for some people.  The latter is suitable for all people.  My opponents are fighting for some people.  I’m fighting for all people. 

Let people pray to their own versions of the divine or go ahead and dine.

My complaint has received massive media coverage.  The blog http://atchison-discrimination.blogspot.ca contains lists of my media coverage as well as my emails to Don Atchison, Randy Donauer, and the City of Saskatoon.

I previously submitted a letter to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.  This letter dated June 5, 2012 is from Sheetal Rawal at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association to Don Atchison and calls for an end to prayer recitations at Saskatoon government events.  I also previously submitted my intake questionnaire with initial arguments to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.

The Centre for Inquiry Canada and Canadian Secular Alliance are supporting this case because they agree that civic events must be secular.  Also, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association is supporting my position that civic events must be secular.  I am self-represented in this case.