"I completely and wholeheartedly support Todd Reynolds and his support for the traditional and true meaning of marriage," Goddard tweeted.

Rogers Sportsnet denounced Goddard's comments and Rogers Communications fired the 15-year sports broadcasting veteran a day later. Rogers said Goddard was a freelance contractor and that plans were already afoot to replace him.

"My message to the millions of Canadians participating in social media is that 'this can happen to you,' ”  Goddard said in a statement. "I was terminated 24 hours after expressing a widely held opinion from my personal Twitter account — an opinion consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. And an opinion that is supposed to be protected by Canada's constitution."

"We believe this sudden and very public termination represents a clear violation of Damian's freedom of speech and his freedom of religion — two fundamental rights that are supposed to be afforded to every Canadian," said William Gale, a partner with employment and labour law firm Grosman, Grosman & Gale, which is representing Goddard in the matter.

"Critics on Twitter were calling for his head because he expressed a commonly held opinion that they didn't like. Rogers answered that call swiftly and publicly. By doing so, they cemented the impression that his Catholic beliefs are inappropriate and grounds for dismissal. We also contend that unless it is challenged, this 'termination after a tweet' threatens to set a dangerous precedent for all Canadians in this still-evolving world of social media,” Gale said.