The outrageous response of the Canadian Human Rights Commission

The Canadian Human Rights Commission has responded to requests from Maclean's Magazine, Mark Steyn and others for access to a crucial Mar. 25 hearing in Ottawa that is going to be held in camera.

The Commission cites security concerns of staff members who will testify. It proposes having members of the public---and members of the media like myself I presume--sitting in some room with a video feed of the proceedings that will pixilate the fearful witnesses the way the media pixilates the Motoons or shoot a blank wall or something.

I am a member of the National Press Gallery. Checks have been run on me to ensure I am not a security threat to anyone, otherwise I could not do my job on Parliament Hill.

Yet the CHRC has the audacity to tell me and every other press gallery member that we cannot attend this proceeding? I hope the Tribunal decides otherwise.

Many of my colleagues have been rather asleep to this whole issue up until now. This is going to wake them up for sure. They better plan on a BIG holding room. Perhaps had the CRHC been smart they would have 1) dismissed the complaints against Maclean's as soon as they arrived on their desk, but they are not smart 2) opened up this hearing as soon as they heard Maclean's wanted to come because then at least they could claim transparency. Then the press corps could remain asleep, thinking the process must be working.

Ezra Levant writes:

Of course I want the hearing to be opened to the public, because I don't believe in secret trials -- especially to hide the antics of some rogue government clerks who think that anonymously trolling racist websites constitutes some sort of crime-fighting in this post-9/11 era. I want the hearing open, because I want the world to see what goes on in the name of "human rights" in Canada these days. Shining sunlight into these star chambers is key to their denormalization.

But, I confess, I would be almost as happy if the tribunal accepted the CHRC's whiny demand, and kept the reporters cooped up in some holding room, barred from even looking at Steacy and Hannya Rizk and the other CHRC witnesses. I can only imagine the simmering anger that would boil in that room. Some of the country's best reporters, who are used to access to the highest Prime Ministers, Presidents, Supreme Courts, titans of business -- and uninhibited access to the lowest of society, from accused murderers to disgraced politicians and industrialists -- being told by some petty, counterfeit court that they are not allowed to watch "justice" be done. Oh, the CHRC doesn't know what "a great deal of anger being expressed" looks like until they do that.

We're winning.

I'd like to see what Rick Mercer's rant will look like if this happens. Maybe Rick will join us in the holding pen.