Another MP denouces the Canadian Human Rights Commission and Section 13

Ezra Levant recently broke the story that yet another Member of Parliament has denounced the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

 

This time is a letter by Gary Lunn, the Conservative Minister of Natural Resources.

 

The letter from Gary Lunn is available online here

 

 

 

Here is Ezra Levant’s article:

 

http://ezralevant.com/2008/05/another-cabinet-minister-criti.html

 

 

Another cabinet minister criticizes Canadian Islamic Congress, CHRC

By Ezra Levant on May 7, 2008 10:52 PM

Last week Jason Kenney, the cabinet minister and secretary of state for multiculturalism, criticized the Canadian Human Rights Commission for its abusive procedures and its substantive violations of Canadians' freedom of expression. He used words like "dangerous" and "illiberal".

This week another cabinet minister joins Kenney: Gary Lunn, the minister for natural resources. Here is a copy of Lunn's letter to a constituent on the subject. The most important lines are:

I share your concern with respect to the possible consequences for freedom of speech in Canada as a result of the CHRC's decision to hear complaints like the one launched by the Canadian Islamic Congress.

...given the importance of freedom of speech to democratic discourse, I believe that the CHRC should be cautious to not allow cases relating to freedom of speech to become a focal point for its work, when such matters lie outside of its established mandate.

I will bear your thoughts in mind in future discussions on this issue...

I'm impressed with Lunn's remarks. He doesn't pussyfoot around the Canadian Islamic Congress complaint -- he calls it a risk to free speech and indeed democracy. And, more importantly, he criticizes the CHRC itself, stating resolutely that scrutinizing speech is "outside" the CHRC's legal mandate.

And his last remark -- telegraphing that he'll keep talking about this issue -- is the most heartening of all.

Friends, remember our two-step plan:

1. Denormalize Canada's human rights commissions; then

2. Press legislators to act.

In the past four months, we've exposed the abuses, corruption and plain old nuttiness of Canada's HRCs. Not a day goes by without editorials and news reports on the subject. (I recommend visiting the Free Mark Steyn site for the most comprehensive daily aggregation of news and views. I used to link to all of them, but there's just too much for me to keep up!)

Now MPs and even cabinet ministers are alive to the problem -- and they're starting to speak up.

Take a moment to send a supportive e-mail to Lunn. Send one to Kenney, too. And why not send one to the Prime Minister, too.

And keep pressing your own local MP on the subject. If you get a response -- positive or negative -- send it to me, and I'll blog about it!

 

 

 

Strange that Levants “two-step plan” doesn’t include having the law declared unconstitutional, which is the most likely outcome, with an election always looming and the knee-jerk Conservatives too scared to even publicly comment on Dr. Martin’s visionary motion M-446 what hope is their really in the politicians?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.StopSection13.com

 

 

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Active and Past cases: 46  |  Cases the tribunal ruled on: 37   ·         NOT A SINGLE respondent have ever won a section 13 case ·         98% of cases have poor or working class respondents ·         90.7% of respondents are not represented by lawyers ·         $99,000 has been awarded in fines and special compensation since 2003. ·         35 respondents have lifetime speech bans (Cease and Desist) orders and if not followed the victims could face up to 5 years in prison.

 

 

 

Groups, Writers and MPs that Support a Repeal of Section 13: http://www.stopsection13.com/repeal_sec13.html

 

Liberal MP Keith Martin Liberal MP Dan McTeague Conservative MP James Rajotte Conservative MP Bruce Stanton Conservative MP Gary Lunn Ezra Levant Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Rex Murphy) Catholic Insight Magazine Catholic Register Halifax Chronicle Herald (Paul Schneidereit)

PEN Canada CDN Association of Journalists Mary Steyn (Macleans Magazine) Calgary Herald Western Standard Magazine London Free Press B'nai Brith Jewish Tribune Sask Leader-Post Deborah Gyapong Calgary AM770

Globe and Mail National Post David Warren (Ottawa Citizen) Eye Magazine (Toronto) Toronto Star Toronto Sun Interim Magazine Sault Ste. Marie – SooToday Winnipeg Free Press Oak Bay News Victoria News

 

 

 

Constitutional Challenge of Section 13

http://www.stopsection13.com/constitutional_challenge.html