A pseudo-court recently fined a small Canadian town and its mayor for refusing in a 3-2 vote to proclaim the month of June "Pride Month" and to hoist the LGBT activists' colors. According to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, a failure to oblige the activist group Borderland Pride constitutes discrimination.

Harold McQuaker, a small construction business owner and the mayor of the Township of Emo, Ontario — just north of the Minnesota border — remains defiant, telling the Toronto Sun Monday, "I utterly refuse to pay the $5,000 because that's extortion."

McQuaker indicated that the town council, on which he has the deciding vote, will together determine what to do about the $10,000 the court ordered Emo to pay — a sum the Sun indicated is "tougher than most criminals ever receive."

"I have a lot of respect for our four councilors," said McQuaker. "We have a special meeting of council, and they will decide that and what to do next. Either pay the fine or appeal it?"

'There's no flags being flown for the straight people.'

Following the ruling, Borderland Pride gleefully noted that McQuaker might also have to reimburse taxpayers for the legal fees associated with his years-long defense, which are estimated to total at least six figures.

Extra to imposing the monetary penalties for a democratic vote unfavorable to outside radicals, Karen Dawson of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario — a nonjudicial government entity that nonetheless issues judicial-like rulings — also ordered McQuaker and the current chief administrative officer of the township to complete the woke tribunal's re-education program, titled "Human Rights 101," having determined that the Municipal Act of 2001 did not protect council members from liability under the Human Rights Code for supposedly discriminatory actions.

After all, McQuaker dared point out during a council meeting that "there's no flag being flown for the other side of the coin. … There's no flags being flown for the straight people."

'We just don't have a flagpole at our town hall.'

The so-called eLearning Module of "Human Rights 101" claims that discrimination can be overt, hidden, constructive, and systemic. Apparently, where the tribunal is concerned, perceived offense rather than intent is what actually counts. In other words, someone's anodyne remark or neutral behavior could be discriminatory depending on the interpretation of a thin-skinned ideologue.

"I will not pay the $5,000 I have been fined and will not take the training," McQuaker told the Sun. "I did not do anything wrong."

"If anybody needs training it's the LGBTQ2+ to quit pushing their weight around and make demands that people can't live with," added McQuaker.

Contrary to the regional activist group's suggestion, McQuaker insisted the claims of prejudice are all projection.

"I don't hate anybody," said McQuaker. "We just don't have a flagpole at our town hall."

'This is about the unilateral power of an unelected, unaccountable government agency to compel speech.'

"I am a husband to my wife for 51 years, father of two, a grandfather of seven and a great grandfather of one," he said. "I consider myself a very reasonable person and a good leader for our community and I would have a lot of support if there was an election."

Borderland Pride, ever difficult to please, lashed out at McQuaker over his comments Monday, stating, "What we are seeing is a public temper tantrum from an elected official who has been emboldened by the pattern of attacks on institutions and the rule of law from the political right. It is disturbing, inappropriate, and unlawful."

"Mayor McQuaker's comments reflect a flagrant disrespect for the laws governing his public office, and he should withdraw them," continued the activist group. "Mayor McQuaker is further governed by a municipal code of conduct, which requires him to respect the authority of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. He can be sanctioned by the integrity commissioner for failing to do so. We would caution him from engaging in any further misconduct of this nature. It is very clearly beneath the expectations and requirements of his office."

Allan Stratton, a gay Canadian playwright who has long engaged in LGBT activism, blasted Borderland Pride in a recent op-ed for the National Post, writing, "This is about the unilateral power of an unelected, unaccountable government agency to compel speech."

Stratton noted further that this case demonstrates the pseudo-court has "lost sight of its mission, broke public confidence in its legitimacy and provided a counter-productive example of left-wing authoritarianism."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!