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VANCOUVER — A mysterious wilderness adventure tour company discriminated against a job applicant because of her Christian faith and must pay $8,500 for injuring her “dignity and self respect,” the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal ruled Wednesday.

Bethany Paquette launched her human rights complaint after receiving a string of vitriolic responses to a job application she sent Victoria-based Amaruk Wilderness Corp. two years ago, in a case that made headlines around the world.

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Amaruk offered on its now-defunct website “assistant guide internship” positions. It also claimed annual revenues exceeding $10 million, access to military-grade aircraft and more than 200 employees around the world. Inexplicably, the Amaruk website featured photos of bare-chested young men posing outdoors and grappling in Viking-themed settings.

The company’s CEO was Christophe Fragassi, also known as Christopher Fragassi-Bjornsen. A native of France who lives near Victoria with a male partner, Fragassi is a “Walter Mitty-type character,” his former landlord told the National Post.