By Stephen J. Gray
“Prime Minister Stephen Harper today became the first Canadian to receive the B’nai Brith International President’s Gold Medallion, in recognition of the Government’s efforts to fight discrimination and uphold human rights in Canada and around the world” (PMO-CPM Release June 27, 2008: http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=2173)
I must say that this award sounds very good until one thinks about the words regarding upholding “human rights in Canada.” P. M. Harper’s government is an intervenor, along with B'nai Brith Canada and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, against free speech in Canada. Here is more information on that:
“The Attorney General of Canada, the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre and B'nai Brith Canada will be intervening in the Lemire case in support of Section 13, arguing that it is a reasonable restriction on freedom of speech” (Canadian Constitution Foundation letter, April 28, 2008).
The words “reasonable restriction on freedom of speech” have become a weapon to punish decent, law-abiding Canadians for daring to have an opinion in a so-called “free society.”
Decent Canadians who have been harassed, vilified, tormented and denounced by these unelected and appointed so-called “Human Rights Commissions” (HRCs) are as follows: Chris Kempling, Scott Brockie, Knights of Columbus, Stephen Boissoin, Bishop Henry, Ezra Levant, and others. Now Catholic Insight magazine, the Christian Heritage Party and MacLean’s magazine are under the guns of the HRCs. And the government of “Gold Medallion” award-winning Mr. Harper as well as B'nai Brith Canada are “…in support of Section 13, arguing that it is a reasonable restriction on freedom of speech.”
The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) in its letter of April 28, 2008, had this to say about its own potential intervenor status in Lemire: “By intervening in support of the application put forward by Marc Lemire, the CCF would not be endorsing the content of his message, but supporting the rights of all Canadians to say and write whatever they believe, without fear of violating a law such as Section 13, of the Canadian Human Rights Act.” Amen to that!
As Voltaire said, “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Unfortunately Voltaire’s words do not apply to Canada. Voicing an opinion or writing letters to a newspaper, cracking jokes or printing cartoons can get a person dragged before the Human Rights Commissars of Canada. Their accusers get a free ride and the accused have to pay for lawyers for their own defense. Does this not sound like a dictatorship?
Meanwhile P.M. Harper is quoted as saying this: “What took place Friday in Zimbabwe’s run-off election was ‘an ugly perversion of democracy,’ Harper said” (CBC News, June 27, 2008).
Well said, Mr. Harper; but, unfortunately we have an “an ugly perversion of democracy,” here in Canada, and you and your government are siding with the undemocratic human rights commissars. Still, at least you are getting an award for upholding “human rights in Canada.” But, I believe, some thinking people in Canada will believe this award rings hollow when your government and B'nai Brith Canada are “…in support of Section 13, arguing that it is a reasonable restriction on freedom of speech.”
Stephen J. Gray
June 28, 2008
graysinfo@yahoo.ca
website: http://www.oocities.org/graysinfo