Posted April 6 2015
The Bank of Montreal Canada (BMO) has mired itself in an anti-Christian controversy.
On October 9, 2014 BMO announced a policy of requiring law firms with which it does business to henceforth disclose the diversity statistics of their associates, partners and management committee as to ethnic groups and members of the lesbian and gay community. BMO intends to drop legal vendors who are not supportive to BMO’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. It is noteworthy that the Board of Directors of BMO is 100% Caucasian.
On March 26, 2014, BMO sent a letter to the Law Society of Upper Canada encouraging it to refuse to accredit future law graduates of Trinity Western University, a Christian university located in Langley B. C.. because of its religious beliefs.`
Further, BMO established a group called Legal Leaders for Diversity (LLD) to promote diversity in the workplace and create a more inclusive profession for LGBT lawyers and staff. On August 16, 2014 this group wrote to the Federation of Law Societies of Canada opposing the accreditation of Trinity Western University.
BMO alleges these actions are in accordance with Canada’s “core values”. In effect BMO is promoting a radical, secular agenda which shows little tolerance for Christians.
Why does BMO think it can promote such harsh discriminatory policies against Christians in the name of alleged diversity? Doesn’t BMO realize that Christians, too, form a large and important part of Canada’s diversity? Why does BMO think it has the knowledge and expertise to determine Canadians “core values”? Further, why is BMO demanding personal, private information about the employees of the firms with which it deals, in order to satisfy its policy?
BMO claims that it is “more than just a financial institution, but instead as people and partners who understand and reflect their
This absurd policy lacks business sense. Businesses operate in order to make a profit. Common sense indicates that businesses remain cognisant of clients’ views and desires but not at the risk of alienating many others.
Considering that BMO has missed three of its four goals or financial targets this year, it should stick to its financial concerns. This failure hasn’t stopped BMO from increasing the salary of its CEO, William Downe, from a $9.48 million in 2013 to $9.94 million in 2014. What kind of business is BMO anyway?
BMO should set a policy of inclusivity, tolerance of others views, including the Judeo-Christian world view. Instead BMO had become a bigoted institution trying to tie its brand to the highly controversial social issue of homosexuality. With its concern to provide a politically correct voice in the national conversation, BMO is alienating many of its customers.
BMO must withdraw its policy of discrimination against Christians which is at odds with the concept of diversity in Canada. BMO is also acting contrary to the Charter of Rights which, BMO knows or should know, includes protection for religious belief.