All campers are welcome at Camp Qwanoes, regardless of their backgrounds and beliefs, the camp’s executive director assured North Cowichan’s council at a recent meeting.
Scott Bailey said each camper is treated with the same love, care and respect, and camp workers and management don’t look down on anyone.
“It’s been that way at Camp Qwanoes since it began in 1966,” he said. “We believe that people with different belief systems can still get along and have a great time together.”
Bailey appeared as a delegation at the meeting after council members voted 5-2 to recommend that the municipality deny the application for a permissive tax exemption from Camp Qwanoes, an exemption the camp has had for 10 years, at the committee of the whole meeting on Sept. 12, mostly over the camp’s hiring practices.
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But many council members urged the camp management to come and speak directly to council on the issue.
Early in September, the Cowichan Valley School District was the third school district, after the Nanaimo-Ladysmith and Sooke, to sever ties with Camp Qwanoes, the youth based, adventure-driven Christian camp based out of Crofton that sees thousands of campers each summer.
Camp Qwanoes counsellors were asked to sign an agreement stating that abortion, homosexuality and premarital sex are sinful, and the school districts decided they did not agree with the camp’s views on 2SLGBTQ+, and what they say is a lack of inclusivity.
Bailey said Camp Qwanoes is open about being a Christian camp that seeks staff who share the camp’s beliefs, including that they look to the Bible as a source of truth.
“We hire staff who are willing to sign, support and live by our staff agreement, which has been in place for 25 years without any challenge, changes or complaints,” he said.
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Bailey said that when campers from public schools come to camp, there is no grace said and there is no religious content in the itinerary like there is for participants in the camp’s own programs.
He said everyone is welcome at Camp Qwanoes.
“Our staffing approach is allowed in B.C. and Canada and penalizing us for our beliefs and staffing approach would be considered discrimination,” Bailey said.
“We’re protected against that kind of discrimination by the Human Rights Code in B.C.”
Coun. Tek Manhas, one of the two councillors who voted for Camp Qwanoes to have a permissive tax exemption, said that if Camp Qwanoes can be singled out for its religious beliefs, then it could happen to any religious organization.
“I think this sets a precedent for the rest of the religious organizations in the Valley,” he said. “I think it’s an attack on religion.”
Coun. Mike Caljouw said he voted against Camp Qwanoes getting a permissive tax exemption because he took exemption to its hiring practices and he felt the camp was not inclusive.
“I believe you are a faith-based organization and you have the right to hire whoever you want and need at your camp,” he said to Bailey.
“I think that’s your right and I’m totally supportive of that. Having heard your comments about the 2SLGBTQ+ community, I will be supporting your application for a permissive tax exemption.”
