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Keith Martin: The ball is in Parliament’s court
by Scott Gilbreath ~ November 26th, 2008
Commenting in today’s National Post on the significance of the Moon Report, Liberal MP Keith Martin says it’s time for Parliament to act on free speech.
While Prof. Moon’s report is excellent, the actual power to implement his recommendations, or any others that relate to the CHRA, resides not with the commission but with Parliament. It is the nation’s elected representatives who are ultimately responsible for the act. Therefore the ball is, as they say, now in Parliament’s court.
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In an open and liberal democracy, we have a right to be protected from hate speech, but we do not have a right to not be offended. Canadians laid down their lives in two world wars to give us the cherished right of free speech. It is now the duty of Parliamentarians to stand up and protect it.
Besides the Canadian Human Rights Commission, all thirteen provinces and territories have human rights commissions or tribunals with widely differing mandates and statutory authorities. Thus, Dr Martin also calls on provincial and territorial legislatures to act on Prof Moon’s recommendations “so that there is one standard for free speech across the land”.
It would appear a matter of simple justice that legal provisions governing speech be harmonised across the country. One reason why human rights commissions in Canada have become the subject of public ridicule and outrage is the absurdity of jurisdiction shopping, as was attempted by Mohammed Elmasry and his sock puppets in their campaign against Macleans magazine.
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November 26th, 2008 at 07:35 PM
[...] KEITH MARTIN: The ball is in Parliament’s court …. [...]
November 27th, 2008 at 02:33 AM
Well said, Keith Martin. Let’s get these stalinoid dingbats off our backs. True North, strong and FREE!