A Christian driver says Calgary Transit is “bullying” him

A Calgary bus driver is accusing the city's transit service of trying to silence him with false allegations about his behavior after he spoke out against the Pride bus.

“I'm absolutely in danger, but I'm tired of avoiding and denying it,” Jesse Rau said Monday as he stood outside Calgary City Hall with his wife and pastor.

Last week, Rau said he would quit his job if forced to drive a rainbow-colored transit bus because his Christian beliefs do not support homosexuality.

– Calgary Transit Pride bus driver threatens to quit

On Monday, he said he received a notification over the weekend that a complaint had been filed against him. He was said to be texting and driving – an immediate firing offense for a transit driver.

“This is a completely false charge,” he said. “My suspicion is that (someone) in authority who is part of Calgary Transit is trying to sabotage me because I'm raining on this parade,” he said.

The video surveillance proves his innocence, he added.

Meanwhile, Rau said she advocates for others in the workplace who are afraid to speak out for fear of losing their jobs.

“I am ready to sacrifice and suffer to defend what is right,” he said. He said he loves his job as a Calgary Transit driver and has no problem with the vast majority of people who work there.

Calgary Transit would not comment on Rau's fate, calling the incident a “non-issue.”

“I asked some young people in my office today what they thought about it … it's a non-issue,” City Manager Jeff Fielding said.

According to Fielding, the Rainbow Bus will run on Route 2 from today until September 7, the day of the Pride Parade.