Sunday, August 19, 2007

CHRC: No Value For Freedom Of Speech

Dean Steacy, the top investigator for the CHRC, was clear: Freedom of speech is not a Canadian concept. When asked by Barbara Kulaszka, a counsel speaking on behalf of a website being charged with "hate crimes", what value does he give to free speech when investigating a "human rights" complaint, Mr. Steacy's answer was: "Freedom of speech is an American concept, so I don't give it any value". (No Apoligies, Aug.17 broadcast, 5:10) Then he reiterated: "It's not my job to give value to an American concept." (5:22)

Free speech is given no value in an organization that names itself a "human rights commission". Sounds somewhat Orwellian, doesn't it? But what about people's constutional guarantee that the government won't be able to silence them just because someone like Steacy says so? The last time I looked at our beloved Charter, freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication was still there.

Apparently the answer to that is "forget it", since the truth-bashers like Steacy, those who don't give a darn about our freedom of speech, have the authority to asses fines of up to $50,000 and incarcerate would-be-haters. (6:10)

Meanwhile, instead of a "human rights complaint" against Free Dominion, which was dropped, there's a complaint against Jewish National Fund, filed to CHRC by a group of anti-Israeli extremists. They believe that the idea of a Jewish fund buying lands for the Jews (rather than "for everybody") is discriminatory. I wonder what's next - suing Catholic schools for not teaching Islam?

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