Alberta Education Minister David Eggen is investigating employment agreements signed by Catholic school teachers amid concerns they could be fired for being in gay or common-law relationships.
Eggen says he has directed all 17 Catholic boards to send him copies of the agreements to see if they meet legal standards, adding that denying anyone employment based on their sexuality is unacceptable.
He says there are mechanisms to deal with such issues, including the Alberta Human Rights Commission.
This week, the Calgary and Edmonton Catholic boards confirmed that teachers must sign agreements promising to live by Catholic values.
The Calgary board says those values include not being in common-law or same-sex relationships.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association says the law governing so-called “Catholicity clauses” is complex and largely untested,
but says teachers should not be forced to sign employment deals that violate their human rights.