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Ontario's openly gay premier Wednesday (1 April) slammed Indiana's 'religious freedom' law as 'completely unacceptable' and 'discriminatory.'
The Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was signed into law last week, allows businesses to turn away LGBTI customers on religious grounds.
Kathleen Wynne, the continent's most powerful lesbian head of government, said Ontario did 'a fair bit of trade' of trade with Indiana. And while she did not call for a boycott of the state like some companies, she urged businesses upset with the law to move to Canada's most populous province.
'It’s completely unacceptable to me that, in the 21st century, such a discriminatory law would be in place, that it would be used to divide people and to create the kind of hostility that is obviously being engendered,' she said.
'It’s certainly not how we behave in Ontario, and I would say to businesses that are looking for a more open jurisdiction, Ontario... is open and non-discriminatory.'
The premier said she had previously met with Indiana Gov Mike Pence in Toronto and would have sharp words for him at the next meeting of Great Lakes governors.
'I will certainly be making clear to him, depending on what has happened in Indiana by then, it’s not how we do business in Ontario, it’s not how we believe governments should behave,' she said.
The Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was signed into law last week, allows businesses to turn away LGBTI customers on religious grounds.
Kathleen Wynne, the continent's most powerful lesbian head of government, said Ontario did 'a fair bit of trade' of trade with Indiana. And while she did not call for a boycott of the state like some companies, she urged businesses upset with the law to move to Canada's most populous province.
'It’s completely unacceptable to me that, in the 21st century, such a discriminatory law would be in place, that it would be used to divide people and to create the kind of hostility that is obviously being engendered,' she said.
'It’s certainly not how we behave in Ontario, and I would say to businesses that are looking for a more open jurisdiction, Ontario... is open and non-discriminatory.'
The premier said she had previously met with Indiana Gov Mike Pence in Toronto and would have sharp words for him at the next meeting of Great Lakes governors.
'I will certainly be making clear to him, depending on what has happened in Indiana by then, it’s not how we do business in Ontario, it’s not how we believe governments should behave,' she said.
