A Conservative cabinet minister says the Canadian Islamic Congress is attempting to undermine basic Charter freedoms by filing complaints against a journalist who wrote a book on the Muslim world.
Jason Kenney, the secretary of state for multiculturalism, weighed in Wednesday on the controversy surrounding columnist Mark Steyn’s bestseller America Alone. The Canadian Islamic Congress has filed complaints with federal and provincial human rights commissions based on an excerpt of Steyn’s book that appeared in Maclean’s Magazine in October.
“To be attacking opinions expressed by a columnist in a major magazine is a pretty bold attack on the basic Canadian value of freedom of the press and freedom of expression,” Kenney said in an interview. “I think all Canadians would reject that kind of effort to undermine one of our basic freedoms.”
I note that the CBC can’t bring themselves to write an original report. This one’s borrowed from the Canadian Press. But they’re hardly alone – a search on Google news suggests that virtually no Canadian media have reported on it at all.
If Canada didn’t have a “Minister of state for multiculturalism” and all the crap that has come with it over the last 30 years since the social engineered invention of “multiculti”,we wouldn’t have “foreign devils” making a “pretty bold attack on the basic Canadian value of freedom of the press and freedom of expression”.
mr.g
This attack by various Human Rights Commissions on Mark Steyn and Maclean’s Magazine is the “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”* moment marking the apogee of Canada’s Establishment McCarthyism.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Welch
Notice at the very end of the article CP takes this parting shot:
“In the United States, the Council on American-Islamic Relations has campaigned against radio talk-show hosts who made incendiary comments about Muslims on the air. In one case, a host in Washington, D.C., was fired after calling Islam a “terrorist organization,” among other comments.”
Guess we know who CP is cheerleading for in this Steyn vs. CIC dispute.
They’re not commenting because they’ve already acquiesced to Islamic demands. First cartoons, now this. And, as the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad press. I’m sure the CBC hopes Steyn goes down in flames… or would that be on the blade of the scimitar?
Multiculturism? Does that have anything to do with cultivating? Where do I buy a “multicultural” shovel?
Answer: At the chain store.
When you ask leftards why it is that all left leaning “progressive” countries such as Cuba, China, Albania make their first and most enduring move to muzzle the press and eliminate free speech and expression they are silent at one of the very few times you actually want to hear what they have to say. You can press them all you want on this issue and they are more silent than feminists after an honour killing.
Why would anyone be surprised if the left wing media, the NDP or the Liberals are silent when one of our “special” folkfest minorities wants to censor our press or use the Human Rights (Elimination) Commission to stifle free speech?
When a Conservative criticized the special minority for trying to stifle free speech the NDP and Liberals stay silent and rub their hands with Burnsian glee knowing that their silent tacit support for the elimination of free speech will pay off handsomely at the polls.
DocBrown, there is a new definition of McCarthyism in the works. A new book out by M. Stanton Evans that shows that the lack of decency, and lies, came from the MSM and Democrats eager to hide the truth. McCarthy wasn’t what you think. What was done to him, however, is a prime example of what he was accused of, and that impression lives on. Ironically, it is that behaviour, the twisting of truth by agenda driven media and elites, that continues today with the coverage of this dispicable muslim murder.
And they wonder why they are mocked and disrespected.
I believe Mr. ‘kill the Jews’ Elmasry still works at the University of Waterloo, my old school. I no longer donate to them because of his terrorist supporting, sharia loving ideology.
Hey all UW folks – stop funding terrorism!
The self-designated priestly caste with their talentless minions hate Mark Steyn, an anathema to their mediocrity. The lefty dhimmi MSM slobs haven’t defended one of their own yet starting with the Danish cartoon.
Steyn’s options are to ignore the HRC complaint or mount a defense. It will be interesting to see which tactic he takes.
“Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition”.
One cannot help but see the parallels with today’s HRCs. We have Witchfinders who make a career of bringing cases. We have legal, religious and educational hierarchies that sanction the use of the HRCs to enlarge questionable “rights”. And we have hell-fire-and-brimstone lay preachers like Emasry to keep the cauldron boiling and the peasantry alarmed.
The HRCs are now a perversion of their original intent. They should be abolished and the aggrieved should take their complaints to the criminal justice system where they would be judged as to their harm by the standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt”. Those complained against would be presumed innocent until a verdict was rendered. And there would be the added safeguard of citizen juries rather than appointed functionaries with vested interests.
I see the complaints filed against Maclean`s and Mark Steyn as an attempt to intimidate journalists – and, thanks to the PC complicity of our liberal media, a very successful attempt.
Do the members of that liberal media not realize that by letting themselves be intimidated now, any and all criticism of Islam or Muslims will be difficult, if not impossible, in the future? Look at what has happened in Europe, where filmmakers, cartoonists and journalists have been murdered or gone into hiding because of death threats? Is this the future awaiting Canadian journalists who displease the fundamentalist Muslims?
That’s a pretty bold statement by the Conservative government. It is signalling that it is prepared to support individual rights, in this case, freedom of expression, against group rights.
The Canadian Charter is a deeply flawed document. It pays a cursory lip service to individual freedoms, Section 2, in its rapid dash to the main agenda of the Charter, which is the insertion of bilingualism into Canada – a policy with enormous financial and political costs to the majority of Canadians.
These individual freedoms, so briefly dealt with in Section 2, are overridden in this same Charter by Sections 15 and 27, which privilege group rights over those of the individual. Groups, however, are defined only within categories defined as ‘minority’ in Canada. Your local volunteer committee for the hospital wouldn’t be classified within these sections.
Group rights in the Charter refer only to those groups, which we know as Identity Groups, whose character is hereditary and refers to the Origin of this hereditary character. This means ethnicity, religion, language.
We’ve discussed the disaster that is multiculturalism many times on this blog. It promotes the political power of Minority Groups, defined by some characteristic of hereditary origin, versus the rights and powers of individuals.
So, Jason Kenny is clearly asserting that individual freedom of speech trumps group identity rights. That’s quite a confrontation. Remember, the Human Rights Act, Section 13, focuses on and privileges these minority groups and, furthermore, gives them ‘virtual rights’.
By ‘virtual rights’ I mean that the HRAct and HRC considers ‘virtual reality’ as equal to ‘actual reality’. Virtual reality is the future that has not taken place but, might, possibly might, take place. You can never, ever, empirically prove that the virtual is the same as the actual. By the time empirical reality is ‘here’, you have moved on to the next ‘imaginary/virtual reality’.
The HRC operates completely and totally, in Section 13, in Virtual Reality. Science Fiction in our Government.
Now that the Conservative Govt has taken a clear stand – I’ll bet that the Liberals and NDP will take a stand. They’ll reject freedom of speech and opt for identity politics. Remember, the Liberals and NDP have only one agenda. Power. Votes. So, they’ll both go after the partisan politics. They’ll yell about the Rights of the Minority Group who are offended and hurt…and so on.
Our MSM, which are primarily Liberal mouthpieces, have long removed themselves from integrity and principles, and have become subservient to Minority Politics. They’ll reject freedom of speech, and freedom of the press. Just watch.
Speaking of the CBC, Jean Lapierre on CTVNEWS 2min ago, just said that CBC wrote the question for the liberals when they where grilling Mulroney over the cummincataions bill.
Duffy said to hold up b/c of liable. But then at the end of the interview Jean Lapierre went back and said the same thing, and that it was not right.
These are the question Pablo Rodriguez ask.
I am not sure if it’s true, who knows but Jean Lapierre was a liberal and said he was told that the CBC wrote those question.
Good comment, ET, however your notion that Mr Kenney provided a “bold statement by the Conservative government” forces me to note another great silence in addition to that from the media.
And I refer to the silence of the Conservatives – until now.
Kenney & Co are upset that the HRC and one of its favoured identity groups are now attacking a magazine and columnist. But where were they when these latter-day Torquemadas were savaging the Christain printers and heterosexual writers of letters-to-the-editor, and other without the deep pockets and establishment connections enjoyed by Macleans?
They’ve spent the last 25 years whistling past the graveyard of our liberties no less than the Libs and Dippers.
Nice to see they’ve snapped out of their coma, but are they going to protect anyone other than Macleans and Steyn? Or are they going to allow this obscene star chamber to continue on its merry way?
When Jason Kenney, or anyone else on the Conservative benches, gets up in the House and formally demands that the government abolish these commissions and reverse all their previous decisions, I for one will remain unimpressed.
Any group that wishes to intimidate the public, not just the media, can look to the HRC for support. As a precedent we need only look at the ongoing tactics of the gay lobby. The HRC is anti-Canadian. It is illiberal and repressive. Who can blame a Muslim group for taking advantage of what clearly is an example of undemocratic trammeling of freedom of expression and – freedom of religion. If this suit is successful, look for them to expand their complaints against Christian expression of belief.
Jason Kenney gives us hope, but are we being realistic? Aren’t Canadians falling over themselves to support this kind of thing in every aspect of their lives? Maybe I’m wrong . Maybe the HRC is VERY Canadian afterall.
The self-designated priestly caste with their talentless minions hate Mark Steyn, an anathema to their mediocrity.
There it is! As I am wont to say to people who won’t listen, never ever underestimate the power of envy in the world.
I’m reading Atlas Shrugged at the moment (first reading) so penny your remark is especially trenchant!
Yeah, what if they simply didn’t appear at the HRC? What could they do? As Hank Rearden (Atlast Shrugged) might put it: would that be sanctifying jackboot justice?
We lack the first amendment rights that Americans enjoy. In Canada we have all taken for granted that we have freedom of speech rights. Now that we have Idiotic Immigrant Groups suing us for merely burping in their direction coupled with super sensitive politically correct fools that have been foisting their warped values on us for the past forty years … we are not so sure anymore.
I think that the Harper government may be our best chance at acquiring such an amendment to out constitution and/or charter of rights.
I have been reading the blogs and listening to the phone in shows and it’s looking like most of us have had with these dorks and we are now speaking out more and more. Kathy Shaidle has is right, we need to start shunning these scum-bags.
Let’s ask him to do it.
Can’t hurt to try.
OK suppose this is the pivotal event that brings the HRCs to an end….. what then?
In case no-one has noticed our media are not that keen on even defending themselves from the mob of Islamist, peecee and leftist totalitarians. They refuse to acknowledge that these groups even exist or that their own ranks are polluted by them.
I’m betting we’ll see a series of multi-culti friendly reports from the likes of CBC/CTV and the Globe to show us how innocent and good all the offended groups are. There will be a massive campaign of whitewash and airbrush combined with a dredging up of every image of white oppression they have in their archives to juxtapose the Evil of our Society’s foundations against the Innocence and Purity of all their pet victim groups.
Remember we ASKED for 9/11 and defending ourselves is Provoking otherwise “peaceful” people.
we don’t lack a first amendent right, we lack the courage to tell these ass holes where to get off. doc b. mccarthy told the truth. the hrc is a total lie. et, the charter is a document of lawyers, by lawyers, for lawyers. canada has become un regognizable in my life time. btw, geograpy does not make a country.
I trust that everyone here who is railing against HRCs has signed this important petition? It has 270 signatures as of this posting, but we need 27,000.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/a-free-dominion-against-the-hrcs/signatures.html
The mere fact that a Mr. Kenney mentioned this issue is something for celebration. The culture of minority “protection” is so entrenched at every level that any attempt to show how we are turning into a censored society should be seized fully.
I happen to think that the Macleans thing is the first time the mainstream media have the chance to see that censorship threatens them too. Maybe a few eyes are being opened.
I know everyone here rails against the MSM, and has no love for Macleans, but there is a confluence of thing here – a strong writer like Steyn, a more capable editor like Whyte, an increasing recognition that not all is right with the effect of Islam on our world, that may make it possible to shove this complaint back in the faces of those who made it, and weaken the threat that the HRCs pose to our society.
Read some of the comments in the online petition. People are angry. Now, 10,000 angry people who sign a list is something that would not be so easy to ignore. Nor would a 10% increase in subscriptions to Macleans, with the buyers stating specifically that they subscribed in support of Macleans stand for free speech.
The alternative, that Macleans is humiliated into publishing an alternative opinion, or an apology, means the end of any hope to open the eyes of mainstream Canadians, who after all read mainstream media, for the foreseeable future. No one will ever dare to write or publish anything putting Islam in a bad light.
The legal jihad had some good success initially in shutting down voices in Europe, but has not been successful in the US recently when people have fought it.
So, support Macleans, pass the word, because the a loss by Steyn and Macleans likely means they are going after people at blogs like this one next.
OMMAG – imagine the free speech landscape in Canada if the HRC so much as even gives Mark Steyn a small token fine? After some brief and shallow public utterances on their solidarity with free speech, a free press, yada, yada, the MSM as rule-based sheeple would be relieved. They are very adaptive to totalitarian regimes. It’s so obvious by the preponderance of groupthink content that the worker ants hammer out from their cubicles 24/7. All stories are crafted in strict compliance with the party line. No slip ups like “strangled” versus “throat compressed”.
I could write their drivel for them, any of us could.
Thank God for FOX, the WSJ, talk radio and the internet as alternatives.
I’d take what Jason Kenney and the Conservative Party say and do on this with a grain of salt. This governemnt has lied before and it hit some people in the pocketbook. Some may argue that it “was a good lie”. I don’t care – they lied. I’d be very careful of trusting any political party, even the Cons on this issue, until I see property rights entrenched in our constitution. I’ll treat my “right” to freedom of expression with the same sense of caution.
Fair enough JT. I also am skeptical that the politicians of today really see this as a major issue.
But would you rather Mr. Kenney said nothing?
Or, would you tell him to “screw off we don’t want even a hint of support from a cabinet minister – you taint our pure cause with your election-minded approach?”
Or would you rather Mark Steyn be abolished from publishing in Canada?
Or is it better to seize on this, thank Mr. Kenney for his support, show him that his words are being watched and appreciated, and hopefully encourage him to see the problem along the lines that we do? Without histrionics, without ranting and raving and accusing everyone of belonging to a vast media conspiracy.
It’s not like a Dion party cabinet minister would ever say anything of this sort.
Our mainstream media can’t even present the opposite poit of view regarding AGW. Do you actually think that the MSM will effectively argue FOR freedom of the press? This is just “news” to the likes of CTV, CBC and Global, nevermind our print media.
Some of our media are worse than others. The CBC is ridiculous – they can be written off. On the other hand, Macleans lets Mark Steyn write for them. They can’t be as bad as CBC.
Is the National Post as bad as the Toronto Star?
Ultimately, it’s about money. If a media outlet finds that writing things from a conservative perspective sells, they will make changes. Yes, journalists are naturally left leaning, but there are degrees of indocrination and willful blindness.
Why do you think FOX exists? Because of the quality of their journalism? Because Rupert Murdoch is a republican supporter? Nope. Because it makes money by presenting the right wing view while CNN goes left.
Would the US be better off without FOX?
Elmasry is the same yahoo that crusaded with Sheema Khan to demand Sharia Law in canada for all female Muslims , yes that’s right , Elmasry has yet to condemn the father that murdered his child for not wearing the Hijab while out in Public.
This is just a taste of the crap that will go on once the Muslim population get large enough to do serious damage to each other like we see in Iraq.
It’s nice that Tarek Fatah is given his 15 minutes of fame to profess how peaceful islam is , but I’m sick of Muslims bring their fights to our soil and I really don’t care which one is correct because either way the Elmasry’s of canada with want Sharia for everyone and Muhammad allows for murdering Muslims who are Apostates which refers to moderates or ex-Muslims.
So we all end up losing because islam doesn’t care who is on the Subway train when the suicide bomber goes “Jihad” in public, bombs don’t select who they kill.
Lori: Fair enough JT. I also am skeptical that the politicians of today really see this as a major issue.
But would you rather Mr. Kenney said nothing?
I have a signed copy of Mark Steyn’s book, sitting at home for over a year now. I had to wrestle my wife to get to read it. I don’t trust Kenny NOT just using this incident as a “prop” for his party and once the dust dies down – nothing. How long does it take to make a statement, if doing so scores you some points with the voters. He’s a politician first. What took the Cons so long to enter the fray? This has been out for a while now.
Well, yes, the book has been out a while. My copy, sadly, is unsigned.
But the HRC complaint against Macleans and Steyn is the issue, not the book itself. The HRC complaint is a week old.
No matter what, the Cons are not going to come out saying “Islam is evil”, “we must stop letting muslims into the country and deport those we have”. That would be retarded, not to mention permanent political suicide.
However, it would not be political suicide, maybe, to come out and say that HRCs are overstepping their bounds and mandates and need to be reigned in. This is patently true, and we will never get a better test case of it then when a disliked apologist for Islam and some pissant law students try to bully a mainstream Canadian magazine and media institution. If we can’t even win this test case, all is lost.
So, this victory is needed and essential. And maybe, just maybe, and perhaps I am deluded, but just maybe the liberal dominated MSM would not jump all over the Cons for this, because for once it is the MSM who is under attack, and an HRC finding against Macleans is an obvious threat to freedom of the press.
Macleans is pretty mainstream. I have a hard time seeing the G&M writing an editorial saying that Macleans should be fined or censored…
Ah yes, the war against our freedom of speach has taken a new turn. Using our own human rights laws to take away our rights. But were is the outcry from the media? Why is this not front page on every paper in Canada?? Is not the media supposed to be the ones who cry out when censurship is imposed on one of their own??? I have followed this story for over a week and I have yet to see get the attention it deserves outside of the blogosphere???? This is how freedom ends, not with the roar of a feirce battle, but with the silence of the sheeple.
“It is signalling that it is prepared to support individual rights, in this case, freedom of expression, against group rights.”
Too right, ET. Yet in a mature society (the US comes to mind, naturally), individual rights are supported before group rights.
These “ghastly” (Steyn’s wording) Human “Rights” Tribunals have morphed from their original intent of protecting individuals from biased employment practices and such to becoming the standard minority or special interest lever against free speech.
Earnest, tolerant canadians will doubtless see the “niceness” in this principle, as their ever-dwindling free speech gets continually eroded.
This country badly needs a Conservative majority government to begin the herculean task of cleaning out Ottawa’s version of the Augean Stables.
mhb23re
at gmail d0t calm
I have just got a heads up on a rather feisty American website. (No names, no pack drill) Old British Army saying,
The New York Post dated 16th December 2007, states that two commissions have summoned Mark Steyn, in this matter. One is the British Columbia Commission and the other the CHRC.
We are now facing a grim reality. Petty stuff to the average Canadian and perhaps ignoring the persecution of the “next guy” is now going big time.
Keep us posted SDA.