Bus ads fine

Letter to the editor:  "Bus ads fine" by Ashu M. G. Solo in The StarPhoenix

http://www2.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/local/story.html?id=67ced49f-a9fe-467f-9ac2-392d882c8ff2

MEDIA ADVISORY: Solo Files Three New Human Rights Complaints against City of Saskatoon for Retaliation against Him

Transmitted At: 2013-12-18 01:29 http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2013/18/c5415.html

MEDIA ADVISORY: Solo Files Three New Human Rights Complaints against City of Saskatoon for Retaliation against Him

SASKATOON, SK, Dec. 18, 2013 /CNW/ - Ashu M. G. Solo has filed three new human rights complaints against the City of Saskatoon on December 17, 2013 with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission. These complaints are for retaliation against him by the City of Saskatoon for his prayer recitation civil rights case and Christmas message civil rights case. Retaliation for filing human rights complaints is considered a form of discrimination and strictly prohibited under section 45 of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.

The first human rights complaint is against the City of Saskatoon (Executive Committee) for retaliating against Solo by not reappointing him to the Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Committee and not appointing him to another civic committee or board. The second human rights complaint is against the City of Saskatoon (City Solicitor’s Office) for retaliating against Solo by trying to deprive him of his right to directly communicate with members of City Council and by telling employees of other City of Saskatoon departments to not talk to him. The third human rights complaint is 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 Solo by not considering his submissions to the Living in Harmony Contest.

“Employees of the City of Saskatoon are clearly abusing their authority to retaliate against me for my civil rights cases,” Solo said. “This is disgraceful. Their retaliation makes me more determined to pursue my cases.”

Further information:

Ashu M. G. Solo
amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us

 

Just a beginning

Letter to the editor: "Just a beginning" by Ashu M. G. Solo in The StarPhoenix

http://www2.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=f03ed341-43c4-4bd1-b677-7d6ae87d23c0

This letter was edited by the newspaper.

MEDIA ADVISORY: City of Saskatoon Rejects Prayer Policy and Forces Solo to Continue Proceeding with Prayer Recitation Case

MEDIA ADVISORY:  City of Saskatoon Rejects Prayer Policy and Forces Solo to Continue Proceeding with Prayer Recitation Case

SASKATOON, SK, Nov. 26, 2013 - In a cowardly move, the City of Saskatoon's Executive Committee, which is composed of the mayor and all councillors, decided on November 25, 2013 to not implement a prayer policy to prevent religious prayers at civic events.  Therefore, secularism activist Ashu M. G. Solo is being forced to continue with his prayer recitation case against the City of Saskatoon and Councillor Randy Donauer with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission (SHRC).

SHRC will consider the City of Saskatoon's frivolous and vexatious application for summary dismissal of Solo's case.  Solo expects the application for summary dismissal to be rejected.  Then Solo expects SHRC to make another attempt at mediation, but the City of Saskatoon and Donauer haven't participated in mediation so far.  Finally, Solo expects that SHRC will take his case to Court of Queen's Bench to be decided upon by a judge.

"What's the point of getting elected if a politician doesn't have the guts to stand up for what's right?" Solo asked.  "The Executive Committee caved to the public backlash.  I tried from the beginning to resolve this case in a cooperative manner.  Now they're forcing me to go all the way in the legal process.  The status quo will not prevail."

Solo will seek a judgment from the Court of Queen's Bench that has the effect of banning prayer recitations at government organized events throughout the province of Saskatchewan and that has significant persuasive value in other provinces.  This will also outlaw prayer recitations at the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly and at Yorkton City Council meetings.

Further information:

Ashu M. G. Solo
amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us

Justin Trottier
Canadian Secular Alliance
info@secularalliance.ca

MEDIA ALERT: Solo's Response to Prayer Guidelines Proposed by City Solicitor's Office

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2013 12:31 AM
Subject: MEDIA ALERT: Solo's Response to Prayer Guidelines Proposed by City Solicitor's Office

Dear Media:

In response to my prayer recitation case against the City of Saskatoon and Councillor Randy Donauer, the City Solicitor’s Office has suggested a pre-meal meditation and generic event meditation followed by a moment of silence for city events.  These will be considered by the Executive Committee, which is composed of the mayor and all councillors, at their meeting on Monday, November 25, 2013. 

The last 25 pages of the attached Executive Committee report, which can also be found at

http://saskatoon.ca/DEPARTMENTS/City%20Clerks%20Office/Boards%20and%20Committees/agendasandminutes/Pages/default.aspx, talk about the secularism issues I’ve raised in Saskatoon.  Their suggested pre-meal meditation and generic event meditation can be found on the second last page of this report or in Charles Hamilton’s StarPhoenix article at http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/City+pitches+inclusive+greeting+place+prayer/9197104/story.html.

After I filed this case with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, the City of Saskatoon has been forced to make an effort to be more inclusive, so my advisors, supporters, and I have already helped the City of Saskatoon become more respectful of diversity. 

If the city drops the idea of a moment of silence and makes a few minor word tweaks to the suggested pre-meal meditation and generic event meditation, I’m willing to drop my civil rights case against the City of Saskatoon and Randy Donauer.  I’m not looking for money in this case.

The pre-meal meditation suggested by the City Solicitor’s Office follows:

Let us together bow our heads.

We take this moment to pause, before the enjoyment of a meal well-prepared for our celebration, to recognize and appreciate the gifts from nature provided, the work of human hands contributed, and sacrifice represented for our benefit.

Each of us have our own beliefs. Whether we are thankful for the bounty provided by one God or many, from a great spirit energy that is common to us all, or simply from the good people behind the door to the kitchen, we are all together in this moment, full of the grace that comes from being thankful for a gift that is given.

May we all enjoy the gift that is the good meal before us.

Amen.

They have made more of an attempt to try to accommodate people of monotheistic religions, polytheistic religions, aboriginal spiritual people, atheists, and agnostics.  I would be willing to accept this pre-meal meditation if they drop the instruction to bow people’s heads and if they drop the word “amen.”  Bowing heads is not done in all religions and is certainly not done by atheists or agnostics.  “Amen” is a term used to end religious prayers in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.  The City Solicitor’s Office acknowledges in their report to the Executive Committee that the term “amen” is Christian in nature.

In addition to the pre-meal meditation, the City Solicitor’s Office has proposed a generic event meditation.  I don’t believe that the City of Saskatoon currently has generic event prayers, so I don’t see the need to add one now.  The City Solicitor’s Office is creating more problems by proposing a generic event meditation.  The generic event meditation suggested by the City Solicitor’s Office follows:

Thank you for life and the world, for everyone with whom we share this together.

Thank you for today. Let us choose today's goals wisely and live today perfectly.

Let us ensure that we love and respect ourselves and others.

Guide us through our lives to live gracefully.

Amen.

This generic event meditation is more focused on thanking a higher power or God and asking for guidance from a higher power or God, especially when they say “thank you for life and the world,” “thank you for today,” and “guide us through our lives to live gracefully.” Also, they should drop “amen.”  I would be willing to accept this generic event meditation if they replaced it with the following language:

Let us be thankful for life and the world and for everyone with whom we share this together.

Let us be thankful for today.  Let us choose today's goals wisely and live today perfectly.

Let us ensure that we love and respect ourselves and others.

Let us live our lives gracefully.

The mayor and councillors should accept my proposals, so they stop wasting taxpayer money and so their friend Donauer can put his legal problems behind him and focus on his bid to be one of Harper’s regressive lackeys.  Maybe I’ll run against Donauer in the next federal election.  Who else will have the guts to call him out on his religious discrimination and bigotry for initially insisting on having Christian prayer recitations at civic events?

If you have any questions, I can be reached at amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us.  You can also talk to Justin Trottier, spokesperson for the Canadian Secular Alliance and founder of the Centre for Inquiry Canada, at info@secularalliance.ca.  Justin is extremely familiar with this case. 

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo

MEDIA ALERT: Solo Proposes Secular Thanks and Calls for Attempt at Mediation

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2013 8:21 AM
To: amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us
Cc: city.solicitor@saskatoon.ca; shrc@gov.sk.ca
Subject: MEDIA ALERT: Solo Proposes Secular Thanks and Calls for Attempt at Mediation

Dear Media:

I’m willing to drop my civil rights case against the City of Saskatoon (Mayor’s Office) and Councillor Randy Donauer for prayer recitations at civic events if they eliminate prayer recitations or come up with a secular thanks that has wording agreed upon by me in settling the case, that doesn’t reference a God or higher power, and that isn’t spiritual. 

While a moment of silence is better than a Christian prayer recitation, I’m unwilling to accept an official moment of silence because this is still an attempt by the municipal government to get people to pray and thus still violates the freedom from religion inherent to freedom of religion.  If people want to pray before they eat, they can take their own moments of silence or even say prayers aloud to themselves.  Nobody cares.  Nobody is stopping them.  There doesn’t need to be an official moment of silence. 

The Executive Committee has indicated that it would like a more inclusive pre-meal prayer or thanksgiving.  If the city wants to have a pre-meal thanks that is inclusive to everybody and socially conscious, I suggest the following: 

Let us be thankful for this food and the time together.  Let us think of all of the people in this city, country, and world who do not have enough to eat.  Let us think of those who have barriers or burdens they need lifted.  Let us think of those whose lives we can improve through our work.  Let us strive to use our knowledge, skills, and talents to help all of these people.

This pre-meal thanks, which I wrote, is much more inclusive than a Christian prayer recitation.  The only reason they wouldn’t be okay with this is if they want to push religion or a belief in God(s) on people.

I call upon the City of Saskatoon and Donauer to attempt mediation with me at the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission to agree on a secular thanks that can then be approved by the city’s Executive Committee.  However, instead of attempting mediation with me, the City of Saskatoon is wasting taxpayer money with a frivolous and vexatious application for summary dismissal of my case.  This shows they don’t care about discrimination against religious minorities, spiritual people, agnostics, and atheists.

If you have any questions, I can be reached at amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us.  You can also talk to my advisor Justin Trottier, spokesperson for the Canadian Secular Alliance and founder of the Centre for Inquiry Canada, at info@secularalliance.ca.

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo

MEDIA ALERT: City of Saskatoon is trying to get Solo's prayer recitation case dismissed by Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 8:38 AM
To: amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us
Subject: MEDIA ALERT: City of Saskatoon is trying to get Solo's prayer recitation case dismissed by Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission

Dear Media:

I’m attaching a letter from the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission that I received yesterday evening for Ashu Solo v. City of Saskatoon (Mayor’s Office) and Councillor Randy Donauer.  Instead of dealing with the substance of my prayer recitation case, the City of Saskatoon is making a frivolous and vexatious application to get this case dismissed.  This is a disgraceful tactic to keep discriminating against people.  They’re wasting the time and money of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.

City of Saskatoon claims that the complaint was made in bad faith or for improper motives or is frivolous or vexatious.  Also, City of Saskatoon claims that there has been a lack of procedural fairness.  The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission and I have met all of the legally required deadlines. 

Procedural fairness demands that I be able to see the City of Saskatoon’s application for summary dismissal, so that I can see what arguments they are making and have a chance to respond to them.  I’m going to see if I can get a copy of the City of Saskatoon’s application for summary dismissal from the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.

If the City of Saskatoon is successful in getting this case dismissed on a technicality, I’ll just file a new case with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission next time they have a prayer recitation at a civic event that I attend.

Donauer claimed that councillors voted against covering his legal expenses, but this isn’t true.  Mayor Don Atchison and Donauer claimed that Donauer would be responsible for any legal expenses that he might incur.  The truth is an Indemnification Review Committee will decide if any legal expenses by Donauer will be covered.

If you have any questions for me, I can be reached at amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us.  You can also talk to Justin Trottier, spokesperson for the Canadian Secular Alliance and founder of the Centre for Inquiry Canada.  Justin is an advisor to me on this case and can be reached at info@secularalliance.ca.

I’ve asked for Judge David Arnot, chief commissioner of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, to recuse himself from dealing with my cases.  It is a conflict of interest for Arnot to be involved in this case and to be involved in deciding how to proceed with this case.  Arnot and Atchison gave speeches at an event to start the cultural diversity and race relations month in 2012 in Saskatoon.  In these speeches, I learned that Arnot and Atchison are friends and went to high school together.  Furthermore, in Arnot’s speech, he praised Atchison’s record on human rights, despite the fact that he must have known Atchison had been abusing his office to endorse a Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast by allowing this event to be named after his office and Atchison had lead the opposition to the contract termination of Chief Dave Scott for doing nothing about aboriginals being dumped outside the city by criminal cops in the Saskatoon Police Service.  Arnot’s long friendship with Atchison could affect his ability to be neutral and unbiased with a complaint that was originally against Atchison, Donauer, and the City of Saskatoon and is now against the City of Saskatoon (Mayor’s Office) and Donauer.  For these reasons, I’ve asked the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission to assign someone else to make the decisions on how to proceed with this case. 

However, instead of recusing himself from dealing with my cases, Arnot went on radio twice to talk about them.  Judges and human rights commission employees shouldn’t be talking to the media about cases in progress that they might be involved in.  I wonder why someone like Arnot who had the audacity to praise Atchison’s human rights record would even be in charge of a human rights commission.

Ashu Solo v. City of Saskatoon (Saskatoon Transit Services) for Christmas messages on buses isn’t over yet.  I’m going to take this case to the Court of Queen’s Bench when time permits.  The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission decides whether to pursue cases based only on the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.  At the Court of Queen’s Bench, I can make arguments based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  The guarantees of religious equality and multiculturalism in the Charter will give me a much stronger case.

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo

MEDIA ALERT: Mayor Don Atchison has been lying to the media and public

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2013 5:20 AM
Subject: MEDIA ALERT: Mayor Don Atchison has been lying to the media and public

Dear Media:

David Kirton on News Talk Radio found that Councillor Randy Donauer had been lying to him about whether or not Donauer will be responsible for his legal costs for my human rights complaint against Donauer and the City of Saskatoon (Mayor’s Office).  You can hear David Kirton talking about this at  http://ckom.com/sites/default/files/CKOM-StoonAfternoon-RandyDonauer-Oct3.mp3  The City of Saskatoon’s indemnification policy was amended by the Executive Committee on September 30, 2013.  As a result, Donauer would know in advance of hiring a lawyer whether or not his legal costs would be covered.  After hearing the segment above, it’s obvious that Mayor Don Atchison has been lying too on News Talk 650 CKOM, CBC Radio, and Global News.  Atchison has been repeatedly saying that Donauer will be responsible for all of his own legal costs.  According to the new indemnification policy discussed at the link above, we don’t know yet whether or not Donauer will be responsible for his legal costs if there are any.  You might want to report that Atchison has not been truthful to the media or public too.

The following interviews with Atchison took place after the indemnification policy was amended by the Executive Committee, so Donauer would know in advance of hiring a lawyer whether or not his legal costs would be covered.  You can hear Atchison lying that Donauer is responsible for all of his own legal costs during these time stamps at these links:

2 min. 55 sec. to 3 min. 30 sec. at http://ckom.com/sites/default/files/JGLCITYHALLHOTLINEOCT1.mp3  (Don Atchison interviewed by Murray Wood on John Gormley Live on News Talk Radio on October 1, 2013)

6 min. 40 sec. to 7 min. 12 sec. at http://www.cbc.ca/player/AudioMobile/Saskatoon%20Morning/ID/2409512635/  (Don Atchison interviewed by Leisha Grebinski on Saskatoon Morning on CBC Radio on October 1, 2013)

1 min. 40 sec. to 2 min. 10 sec. in the bottom video at http://globalnews.ca/news/875171/prayer-debate-takes-centre-stage-at-saskatoons-executive-committee/  (Don Atchison interviewed on Global News on October 1, 2013)

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo

MEDIA ALERT: Solo's Christmas Message Case Isn't Over Yet

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Friday, October 04, 2013 11:37 PM
Subject: MEDIA ALERT: Solo's Christmas Message Case Isn't Over Yet

Dear Media:

As I said at http://ckom.com/story/provinces-human-rights-commission-rejects-merry-christmas-complaint/136401, my case about Christmas messages on Saskatoon Transit buses isn’t over yet.  I’m going to take this case to the Court of Queen’s Bench when time permits.  You haven’t heard the last of this case. 

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission decides whether to pursue cases based only on the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.  At the Court of Queen’s Bench, I can make arguments based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  The guarantees of religious equality and multiculturalism in the Charter will give me a much stronger case than I had with the human rights code.  Therefore, the Court of Queen’s Bench is a much better avenue than the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission for me to argue this case.  There was no harm in trying the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission first, particularly because its process is simpler and involves no cost to the complainant and they provide legal representation.

It's my position that freedom of conscience in section 2a of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms includes freedom from religion, that section 15 of the Charter guarantees religious equality, 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.  It's my position that a Christmas message on Saskatoon Transit buses violates these sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

I think the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission made its decision based on the public backlash, not the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.  I think the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission chickened out of pursuing this complaint because it was highly controversial and they were afraid of the public backlash against the existence of the human rights commission.  But as Sylvester Stallone said in Rocky Balboa, “Ain’t nothing over till it’s over.”

At the Court of Queen’s Bench, I will seek a judgment that has the effect of banning religious messages by the state throughout the province of Saskatchewan and that has significant persuasive value in other provinces. 

My opponents shouldn’t be gloating because I’m just getting started in fighting for secularism.  You ain’t seen nothing yet.  I don’t care about media coverage like some people think.  I care about the advancement of freedom like every person should.

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo

MEDIA ALERT: Executive Committee to debate prayer policy on Monday in response to Solo's prayer recitation case with Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission

From: Ashu M. G. Solo [mailto:amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us]
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 9:12 AM
To: amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us
Subject: MEDIA ALERT: Executive Committee to debate prayer policy on Monday in response to Solo's prayer recitation case with Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission

Dear Media:

The Saskatoon City Solicitor’s Office wrote a report about a new prayer policy in response to my prayer recitation civil rights case against the City of Saskatoon (Mayor’s Office) and Councillor Randy Donauer with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.  This report can be found at 

http://www.saskatoon.ca/DEPARTMENTS/City%20Clerks%20Office/Boards%20and%20Committees/agendasandminutes/Documents/agendas_2013/a_ex_300913.pdf

The Executive Committee, which is composed of the mayor and councillors, will be debating a policy on prayers at their meeting at 2:00 PM on Monday, September 30, 2013 in Committee Room A at City Hall.  

The City Solicitor’s Office is saying the only way to respect everybody is to have no prayer recitations, a secular thanks without a reference to a God, or a moment of silence.  The City Solicitor’s Office is not calling for prayers from all religions or no prayers as has been suggested by some. 

However, the City Solicitor’s Office says the secular thanks can include spirituality.  This doesn’t even make sense.  A secular thanks can’t include spirituality.  I don’t think the City Solicitor’s Office even understands what “secular” means.

Prayer recitations from all religions is a ridiculous and impractical idea because according to the World Christian Encyclopedia by David Barrett, there are over 10,000 religions, 150 of which have a million or more followers, not including branches of each religion:  http://www.adherents.com/misc/WCE.html  The media has made a major mistake by not reporting this fact.  The vast majority of people don’t realize this.  Because you haven’t reported this, Atchison is getting away with saying that they should have prayer recitations from all religions.  Why haven’t you challenged Atchison on this and asked him how he’s going to have prayer recitations for the thousands of religions?  They would be praying all night to cover even a tiny fraction of the religions.  Are they going to have Voodoo religion prayer recitations and Scientology prayer recitations?  Where are they going to find people to recite all of these prayers?

I’m willing to accept no prayer recitations.  I prefer this option.

I’m willing to accept a secular thanks that has wording agreed upon by me in settling the case, that isn’t spiritual at all in nature, and that doesn’t reference a god or higher power. 

I’m unwilling to accept a moment of silence because this is still an attempt by the government to get people to pray.  If people want to pray before they eat, they can take their own moments of silence and pray or even audibly say prayers to themselves.  Nobody is stopping them.  Nobody cares.  There doesn’t need to be an official moment of silence.  Let people pray to their own versions of the divine or go ahead and dine.

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission is still investigating my prayer recitation civil rights case.  They’ll decide how to proceed soon, but they already decided that there is reasonable grounds to believe that the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code may have been violated with the prayer recitation.  I seek a judgment that has the effect of banning prayer recitations at government organized events throughout the province of Saskatchewan and that has significant persuasive value in other provinces.

The Centre for Inquiry Canada, Canadian Secular Alliance, and Canadian Civil Liberties Association support the removal of prayer recitations from government organized events.  These organizations have assisted me, but I’m self-represented.

You can interview me before or after the Executive Committee meeting.  I can be reached at amgsolo@mavericktechnologies.us.  Also, you can interview Justin Trottier, spokesperson for the Canadian Secular Alliance and founder of the Centre for Inquiry Canada.  Justin is an advisor to me on this case and is really knowledgeable about secularism.  He can be reached at info@secularalliance.ca.

By the way, as of August 12, 2013, I’m the CEO of the Saskatoon GPS Association, the Saskatoon branch of the Green Party of Saskatchewan.  I was previously the acting CEO of the Saskatoon-Humboldt Federal Green Party Association and the highest ranking electoral district association agent in northern Saskatchewan for the Green Party of Canada.  The federal Green Party and provincial Green Party aren’t involved in my civil rights cases.

I have more civil rights cases coming up and will keep you informed.  You ain’t seen nothing yet.  The advancement of liberty is more important than my popularity. 

Best regards,

Ashu M. G. Solo