Source: Religion News Service
OTTAWA, CANADA, March 5, 2003: Religious services in the Canadian armed forces are controlled exclusively by a few major Christian groups, discriminating against other faiths and minority Christian churches, a Pentecostal minister has charged in a human rights complaint. The forces have no Jewish, Hindu or Muslim chaplains, says Rev. Sheldon Johnston in the letter of complaint. A defense spokesman admitted the chaplains don’t represent modern Canada and said officials are working on the problem, starting with the recruitment of the forces’ first Muslim chaplain. There are 144 regular force chaplains, divided about equally between Catholic and Protestant. The Canadian Human Rights Commission says it will refer Johnston’s complaint to a human rights tribunal. B’nai B’rith, the Jewish human rights organization, is backing his crusade and is considering intervening in the hearing.