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Costco fires employee for denying K of C hall to lesbians
Lifesite ^ | Dec. 13, 2005

Posted on 12/13/2005 9:15:15 PM PST by UnbornChild

Source URL: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/dec/05121302.html

LifeSiteNews.com Tuesday December 13, 2005

Costco Fires Catholic Who Denied Knights of Columbus Hall for Lesbian "Marriage" Man Stuggling to Support Three Small Children Faces Loss of Home

LifeSiteNews.com Exclusive

PORT COQUITLAM, BC, November 30, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A member of the Knights of Columbus who is in charge of renting the fraternity's hall for weddings and other events alleges he was fired from his day job at Costco for his involvement in denying two lesbians the facility for their same-sex "wedding." The human rights case in which the lesbian couple successfully sued the Knights of Columbus over the denial of the hall made international headlines. (see coverage: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/nov/05113006.html )

LESBIAN WAS A CO-WORKER WITH KNIGHT OF COLUMBUS

David Hauser told LifeSiteNews.com in an exclusive interview that Tracey Smith, one of the lesbians involved in the human rights complaint against the Knights, was also a co-worker of his at Costco. Hauser related that Smith and many of the management at the Port Coquitlam warehouse were openly homosexual. He related that for months before Smith and her same-sex partner approached his wife for the hall rental, these same individuals had been asking him about his involvement with the hall, and knew that he was in charge of bookings.

"In retrospect, they picked a time when they knew I would be at work to call my wife Sandra, who shows the hall when I am unavailable," Hauser said. He is convinced the entire fiasco was orchestrated before the event. However, in the human rights complaint against the Knights the lesbian couple claimed they did not realize the hall was affiliated with the Catholic Church.

Chymyshyn claimed to the Vancouver Sun in November that, "If they would have let us know up front who they were, we probably would have never even gone there."

Terry Kidwell, State Deputy of the B.C. Knights of Columbus, told LifeSiteNews.com in an interview Dec.12 that Chymyshyn "said that 'she just happened to be driving around and saw the sign'" for the rental of the hall. "Well, that's a dead end street," Kidwell said. He indicated "you don't just happen to drive around" and find that hall and that one would have to deliberately drive to that location and stop to see the small 8 1/2 X 11 sign on the door.

"You can't see it from the street," Kidwell stated, adding "You would have had to get out of your car and go right up to the hall to see the sign. There is not a great big sign saying, 'hall for rent.'"

A big question therefore is how the two women would actually have known that the hall was for rent. All of this appears to support Hauser's contention that the two women knew about the hall and its connection to the Knights and their Catholic co-worker's involvement prior to their visit to the location.

Kidwell says these questions were probably not brought up in the human rights trial against the Knights because the focus of the defence was that, "because of our core religious beliefs we were entitled to not rent the hall to them."

Hauser said he and his wife were not initially aware of the couple's intention to wed each other, because the two had vaguely referred to a "wedding" without saying it was their own that they were planning. Hauser did not suspect anything when he read the names on the rental agreement, because he only knew Tracey at work by her first name.

Hauser alleges, "They [Smith and Chymyshyn] knew exactly what they were doing." The three-acre parcel where the Knight's hall is situated is also the location of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church and Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School. "There's a huge cross on that Church," Hauser said. "There's a huge picture of the Pope in the hall . . . there's no way they didn't know we were connected to the Church." (see coverage: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/dec/05120901.html )

FIRED BY HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVIST MANAGER

Hauser was fired from Costco November 3, 2004 - one year and two days after Smith and her same-sex partner Deborah Chymyshyn rented the hall.

Hauser's boss, Mike Checko, also a homosexual rights advocate and a friend of Smith's, fired Hauser. Hauser contends that his firing was completely without cause. He said his letter of release cited "violence in the workplace," allegedly committed in early August 2004. Hauser related that he and his wife were on vacation for two weeks during the early to mid-weeks of August. Another homosexual co-worker alleged in writing that Hauser had said he wanted to meet a fellow worker outside after work for a brawl.

"The workplace was absolute trouble for me - the warehouse manager constantly badgered me about it [the hall issue]." Hauser said the homosexuals in management at the store "constantly tried to lure him into arguments."

Hauser's claims to unfair treatment are supported by other former supervisors at Costco. One letter, from co-worker Jared Gilles who was also Hauser's former supervisor, dated August 4, 2004, said, "In my view, Dave was sunk before all this ever happened. Our management isn't open and objective towards him," Gilles explained. "They get hourly [employees] to write hearsay letters of certain instances - whether it's true or not and whether they are witnesses or not. Dave's guilty because he's blacklisted. People can just write letters about people they don't like and if management doesn't like you, you're in trouble. No one will support Dave's views, whether he's done something or not."

"He told me to watch out because this guy was after you from the day you walked in," Hauser added.

Events at Costco following Hauser's firing suggest that there was some problem with the supervisor who fired Hauser. Checko was demoted two weeks after Hauser's firing, "from a $120,000 per year position, to a checkout clerk," Hauser said.

On November 23, 2004, Human Resources Canada, after initially refusing Hauser's claim for employment insurance payments, responded to Hauser's appeal of the refusal. After HRC asked for clarification from Costco, a letter was returned that stated a different reason for Hauser dismissal that the one given on his dismissal letter.

"[Costco's] statement contradicts the letter of dismissal," stated L. Bell, an insurance benefit officer with HRC, in a letter in Hauser's possession. "In the letter of November 3, 2004, the employer states that the employee was dismissed because of an incident that occurred in August. The incident involved allegations of threats made by the claimant to a co-worker. The employer has not provided detail of the alleged incident."

"Given the lack of clarification from the employer, we'll conclude that the claimant was dismissed due to a series of minor incidents. Some of the incidents may have been genuine violations of company policy, but there is also a sense that there was some friction between the claimant and the employer. Fault is sometimes difficult to define, but it is often mutual. Clearly the employer was not happy with the claimant, and although the violations of company policy may or may not have been genuine, there is an indication that they were looking for reasons to terminate his employment. It is not even clear what the final incident was that ultimately led to the claimant's dismissal and therefore we cannot conclusively prove there was misconduct involved in the final incident. Under the circumstances, we have no choice but to allow the claim."

Hauser further explained that he "was fighting a 90-day demotion for allegedly driving a fork-lift at a guy's head," in June-August of 2004. "I should have been arrested for something like that," Hauser said. "I got three fellows to write statements who had seen the whole thing. I then went to the regional manager, Patrick Noon - Mike Checko's boss."

The suspension was over-ruled by Costco's regional office.

"The day I walked in [Checko] wanted me out," Hauser emphasized. "It went on and on - he treated me terribly. In the end, he blackmailed me into this gay thing and fired me for kicking them out [of the K of C hall]."

CAN'T FIND OTHER WORK WITH DISMISSAL ON RECORD - MAY LOSE HOME

Hauser said he had hoped his 14 years at Costco would lead to life-long employment. "The company is doing very well," he said. Because of the circumstances of his firing, Hauser has been unable to find other work. "It's hard to get a job when your reference letter says you were fired for violence in the workplace," he said. He has focused on home painting, something he did part-time to support his stay-at-home wife and three young children before. His business is called "Passion for Painting."

Hauser, who initially re-financed his mortgage after the job loss, faces the prospect of losing his home if nothing changes in the next few months. "It's pretty degrading and humiliating for Sandra and I . . . and all for that cause."

Michael A. Wagner, the lawyer representing Mike Checko, had his office call to say Checko was unable for comment.

Several calls put into Costco for comment were not returned. Calls placed to Costco's lawyers were also not returned.

To express concerns to Costco:

General Customer Service: 800-463-3783

E-mail address: service@costco.ca

Costco Canada Corporate Office Mailing address: 415 West Hunt Club Road Ottawa, ON K2E 1C5 http://www.costco.ca/en-CA/CustomerService/EmailUs...

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NEWS TIPS to lsn@lifesitenews.com or call 1-866-787-9947 or (416) 204-1687 ext. 444

Donate to LifeSiteNews.com at http://www.lifesite.net/contribute/


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Canada; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: canada; catholics; costco; fired; gaystapo; homosexualagenda; knightsofcolumbus; pinkmafia; workplace
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To: UnbornChild
...the lesbian couple claimed they did not realize the [Knights of Columbus] hall was affiliated with the Catholic Church.

Stupidity like that would certainly be fatal if it were even remotely believable.

41 posted on 12/14/2005 7:29:44 AM PST by Bob
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To: UnbornChild

I should also include here that to any who email COSTCO, be prepared for them to spam you in return.

Once they have your email address, they automatically (without your request, subscription, permission) use your email address to spam you with crud.

I contacted them about THAT and they were even more rude about "not spamming" me. As if spam was their right and privilege.

I'm not renewing. I'm going to go join Sam's Club and never renew COSTCO membership again...and that's after nearly fifteen years of membership and many thousands of dollars every year for nearly fifteen years to the place.

The organization has become some sort of communist party type social organization...I just google'd (another problem, I realize), anyway, I just google'd COSTCO + complaints (as I also did AMX) and found more than enough to dispoil any last shred of good will I may have tried to maintain about them.

There is NO EXCUSE for this news, these stories, what COSTCO has done here. Why didn't they "fire" the "lesbian/s" involved? I mean, seems to me the "lesbian/s" incited the issue, and, if they're going to resort to firing employees for exercising their religious faith and beliefs, there's nothing good remaining in the organization, nor any who do likewise.


42 posted on 12/14/2005 7:40:09 AM PST by MillerCreek
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To: Wally_Kalbacken

Agreed...this happened to us in Georgia....one couple we knew went to one Methodist church and private Christian school after another to force their way in, change the environment and then leave the place broken and in shambles.....


43 posted on 12/14/2005 7:47:26 AM PST by hilaryrhymeswithrich (It's all about the swagger......)
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To: UnbornChild

It's a property rights issue. Costco can fire him for any reason, or for no reason, unless the case falls within a specific prohibition in his employment contract.


44 posted on 12/14/2005 7:52:03 AM PST by steve-b (A desire not to butt into other people's business is eighty percent of all human wisdom)
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To: UnbornChild
The company had no right to do this. Period.

Just shows how far companies will walk planks to front the militantly gay factions.

I say this because the Mafia, the Mob, and other outlets of organized crime hid behind the activities of (and were often in direct collusion with) labor unions, most notably the Teamsters.

Since we're dealing with groups that more or less amount to a Lavender Mafia, Costco's actions are seriously comparable to the relationship between said unions and organized crime.

I know this is in Soviet Canuckistan, but if it happens here, let's use Uncle RICO against them. Or better yet, send Uncle RICO up north...

45 posted on 12/14/2005 8:14:53 AM PST by rzeznikj at stout (Liberalism: The world's singular leading cause of truth decay...)
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To: UnbornChild
Letters of support can be sent to:

David Hauser
c/o Knights of Columbus Hall
2245 Fraser Ave.
Port Coquitlam, BC V3B 6G8
Canada

46 posted on 12/14/2005 8:17:26 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o (Bear ye one another's burdens.)
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To: fanfan; GMMAC

ping


47 posted on 12/14/2005 8:17:26 AM PST by kanawa
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To: steve-b
Costco has a right to terminate an employee. I also have a right not to shop at Costco because of the company's pro-homosexual attitude.
48 posted on 12/14/2005 8:19:56 AM PST by Wallace T.
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To: rzeznikj at stout; Admin Moderator
Hit wrong button-wasn't finished revising my post.

Admin Moderator: Could you please be so kind and remove Post 45 from this thread--I posted it in error.

It should read:

The company had no right to do this. Period. Yes, we are dealing with at-will employment, but remember this is harassment and discrimination we are dealing.

While I'm not a lawyer, much less a Canadian lawyer, common sense seems to dictate that harassment and discrimination can supersede at-will employment "contracts."

Just shows how far companies will walk planks to front the militant homosexual-advocacy groups.

I say this because to fully comprehend Costco's actions, one should consider the example of the symbiotic relationship the Mafia, the Mob, and other outlets of organized crime hid behind the activities of (and were often in direct collusion with) labor unions, most notably the Teamsters.

Since we're dealing with groups that more or less amount to a Lavender Mafia, Costco's actions are seriously comparable to the relationship between said unions and organized crime.

I know this is in Soviet Canuckistan, but if it happens here, let's use Uncle RICO against them. Or better yet, send Uncle RICO up north...

49 posted on 12/14/2005 8:20:36 AM PST by rzeznikj at stout (Liberalism: The world's singular leading cause of truth decay...)
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To: Mrs. Don-o; UnbornChild; Wally_Kalbacken; baa39; NYer; Lady In Blue; Salvation; TheCrusader; ...
Let's not just wrong our hands and say oh dear, oh dear.

Letters of support can be sent to:

David Hauser
c/o Knights of Columbus Hall
2245 Fraser Ave.
Port Coquitlam, BC V3B 6G8
Canada

(Sorry for the repeat: I wanted to ping this.)

50 posted on 12/14/2005 8:30:56 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o (Bear ye one another's burdens.)
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To: Clive

Ping


51 posted on 12/14/2005 9:17:21 AM PST by NorthOf45
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To: TheCrusader

Indeed. Since the 1960's we have permitted the mentally ill to walk among us under the protection of "tolerance". It's nothing of the sort, it's license.


52 posted on 12/14/2005 9:23:20 AM PST by elbucko
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To: elbucko; TheCrusader
"Tolerance".

This is to digress on my part,but..... I had accessed on Google THE HOMELESS PEOPLES NETWORK. So far so good- why not? An article by Josh Brown of the Toronto Star, gave an account of - with tolerance in mind, certain statistics.

Three men in Toronto. Alcoholics and glue sniffers. One for over 18 years, constant trouble. The figures to society annually are quoted.

1. $112,000 2 .$151,000 and 3. $181,000 yearly. This includes threatening merchants to "pass out" in front of their stores, unless.....yes,money is produced. A farm is proposed for the poor dear souls.

It is tolerance gone mad.

53 posted on 12/14/2005 10:02:04 AM PST by Peter Libra
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To: Peter Libra
I used to have a problem with the professionally homeless coming up to my vehicle window,
at stop lights under the Gardner expressway in downtown Toronto,
with their little cup in hand.
Last few years it has not been a problem....for some reason...
Image hosted by TinyPic.com
;~)
54 posted on 12/14/2005 10:39:05 AM PST by kanawa
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To: Peter Libra
It is tolerance gone mad.

Actually, it's "good intentions". When Western societies began to let the mentally ill be treated on a out-patient basis, rather than be hospitalized, they unleashed the mentally ill to walk among us. Those persons who would otherwise have avoided the perversion that accompany the bi-polars and schizophrenics, were instead exposed to their self medications, illegal drugs. The drug epidemic began.

This has been going on since the 1960's when the Kennedy family witnessed , up close, the mental illness in Rosemary Kennedy and the failure of her surgical treatments. In the end, it was thought to be cheaper to just let the mentally ill shift for themselves. Some became famous like Lee Harvey Oswald, others influential like the Dunblane massacre perpetrator. He disarmed England.

Either way, the crazies now run Western societies, as in the Third World. We have let the "progressives" regress civilization.

55 posted on 12/14/2005 10:46:28 AM PST by elbucko
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To: Wally_Kalbacken
"He is convinced the entire fiasco was orchestrated before the event."
"Not a bad hunch. The Gay/Lesbian legal organizations in the US are relentless and are out to test every possible permutation of local, state and federal statutes, regulations and are filling the courts with exceptionally contrived test cases (e.g., Canadian women "marry" in Canada, move to Iowa and then file for divorce once their residency there is sufficient for jurisdiction in Iowa.)"

You got the modus operandi down, *pat*.

"I think everyone sees where this is leading - and that only a Federal Constitutional Amendment will work to snuff this out."

Yea, no doubt.

Wonder how our "leaders" will handle the effort.

...with the Barney "My Boy Lollipop" Frank in the thick of it.

56 posted on 12/14/2005 10:52:00 AM PST by Landru (If a sucker's born every minute, that's a lotta suckers.)
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To: MillerCreek

isn't Costco CHINA owned anyway. No wonder they think like Communists.


57 posted on 12/14/2005 11:33:37 AM PST by George from New England
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To: Mrs. Don-o; AlaninSA; 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; afraidfortherepublic; Alas; al_c; ...


58 posted on 12/14/2005 11:34:11 AM PST by Coleus (Roe v. Wade and Endangered Species Act both passed in 1973, Murder Babies/save trees, birds, algae)
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To: steve-b

"It's a property rights issue. Costco can fire him for any reason, or for no reason, unless the case falls within a specific prohibition in his employment contract."



Provided that that's what the law says in that jurisdiction, that is correct. But here's another property rights issue for you: I've got the right to spend my money (which is my property) in whatever establishment I so choose, and can make my decision based on whether the establishment fires people for abiding with their religious beliefs.


59 posted on 12/14/2005 11:43:26 AM PST by AuH2ORepublican (http://auh2orepublican.blogspot.com/)
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To: UnbornChild
A member of the Knights of Columbus who is in charge of renting the fraternity's hall for weddings and other events alleges he was fired from his day job at Costco for his involvement in denying two lesbians the facility for their same-sex "wedding."

Well, of course a place of business cannot fire an employee for enforcing rules at private organization to which said employee belongs. It is none of the employer's business.

60 posted on 12/14/2005 11:45:29 AM PST by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
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