Ezra "outs" the human rights commissions

Here's a link to a story I wrote early on about the complaints against Ezra Levant. It has been widely picked up by the Catholic press, but not published electronically until relatively recently by Canadian Christianity.

Borovoy said he finds especially troubling the fact that the law includes material “likely to expose” people to hatred or contempt. He noted the lack of any requirement for intent to foment hatred. The truth or a reasonable belief in truth is not a defense. That means news coverage of world hot spots such as Rwanda, the Middle East and Northern Ireland could be seen as subjecting any of the ethnic or religious groups involved to contempt or hatred under this law, he said.

In his opening statement, Levant argued the “interrogation” went against 800 years of common law, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

He also described it as “procedurally unfair,” adding:“Unlike real courts, there is no way to apply for a dismissal of nuisance lawsuits,” he said. “Common law rules of evidence don’t apply. Rules of court don’t apply. It is a system that is part Kafka, and part Stalin. Even this interrogation today . . . saw the commission tell me who I could or could not bring with me as my counsel and advisors.”

Levant and others have also argued that even principles like “innocent before proven guilty” do not apply. While the complainants’ costs are covered, the defendant has to pay legal fees in most provinces. Levant told the AHRC that even if he wins he loses thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of wasted time. In his closing argument (also on YouTube) he said he hoped to lose his case so he could appeal to a “real” court.

The Centre for Cultural Renewal’s executive director Iain Benson said the widespread viewing of Levant’s videos will “in effect ‘out’ the kind of things that are implied when we begin to adjudicate for ‘hurt feelings.’”

“That is good for Canada where so many Canadians seem satisfied that all is right with human rights generally and tolerance in particular,” he said. “It is far from all right.”