Atheists are not explicitly protected under BC law.

Religion was one of the first protected grounds enshrined in the BC Human Rights Code. But if an atheist, Humanist or person with no religion is discriminated against, they have to fight to be read into the law.

This isn't just a theoretical issue. In Quebec, when Humanists filed a complaint with their province's Human Rights Commission, they were told that since atheism and Humanism aren't religions they weren't protected under Quebec's Human Rights Code.

Without explicit inclusion in the BC Human Rights Code, people could lose their job, be evicted from their home or be persecuted for not believing in a god. They are then placed in the awkward position of having to claim they were discriminated because of a religion they do not profess. Whether or not they ultimately win their case, an atheist is made to start two steps behind a religious person when making a human rights complaint.

We have an opportunity to change things. The Government of BC has announced that they are re-establishing the Human Rights Commission and are consulting on what changes BC's Human Rights legislation needs.

Let's send them a signal: Add "nonreligion" as a protected class.

Please sign and share this petition before November 15, so we can submit it to the government before the consultation closes on November 17, 2017.

Image credit: Province of British Columbia/Flickr