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We Canadians have fewer protections of freedom speech, specifically hate speech (ie: sections of the Criminal Code of Canada, and the Canadian Human Rights Act)

We Canadians have fewer protections of freedom speech, specifically hate speech (ie: sections of the Criminal Code of Canada, and the Canadian Human Rights Act). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech_laws_in_Canada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech_laws_in_Canada

tsotha 14y ago
It's not just that you have fewer protections. It's that someone can file a complaint with the local HRC for free and you'll end up spending thousands defending yourself. It's the perfect vehicle for legal harassment.
- miked 14y ago
  This. Here's a story of two Canadian writers who were forced to spend thousands on defending themselves for engaging in politically incorrect Badthink: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_complaints_against_Macleans_magazine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_complaints_against...
  - hfsktr 14y ago
    That link didn't quite work but this seems to be it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_complaints_against_Maclean%27s_magazine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_complaints_against...
- fraserharris 14y ago
  The most abused part of the Canadian Human Rights Act, Section 13, was repealed in August. Alberta Conservative MP Brian Storseth, author of the repeal bill, said this at the time: "The current human rights code allows too many frivolous cases to proceed against citizens, when the Criminal Code already covers hate speech that could generate harm against an individual or group. Acts of hate speech are serious crimes that should be investigated by police officers, not civil servants, he said, and the cases should be handled by "real judges and real lawyers," instead of a quasi-judicial body such as the human rights commission." http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/07/tories-repeal-sections-of-human-rights-act-banning-hate-speech-over-telephone-or-internet/ http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/07/tories-repeal-sectio...

tsotha 14y ago

It's not just that you have fewer protections. It's that someone can file a complaint with the local HRC for free and you'll end up spending thousands defending yourself. It's the perfect vehicle for legal harassment.

miked 14y ago
This. Here's a story of two Canadian writers who were forced to spend thousands on defending themselves for engaging in politically incorrect Badthink: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_complaints_against_Macleans_magazine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_complaints_against...
- hfsktr 14y ago
  That link didn't quite work but this seems to be it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_complaints_against_Maclean%27s_magazine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_complaints_against...
fraserharris 14y ago
The most abused part of the Canadian Human Rights Act, Section 13, was repealed in August. Alberta Conservative MP Brian Storseth, author of the repeal bill, said this at the time: "The current human rights code allows too many frivolous cases to proceed against citizens, when the Criminal Code already covers hate speech that could generate harm against an individual or group. Acts of hate speech are serious crimes that should be investigated by police officers, not civil servants, he said, and the cases should be handled by "real judges and real lawyers," instead of a quasi-judicial body such as the human rights commission." http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/07/tories-repeal-sections-of-human-rights-act-banning-hate-speech-over-telephone-or-internet/ http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/07/tories-repeal-sectio...