Salim Mansur: “Ottawa must stop this censorship”

Salim Mansur writes:

The Canadian Islamic Congress complaint — as I wrote following its dismissal by the CHRC in June 2008 — made Canadians take note, unlike any previous complaint, how the censorious provision of Section 13 is a blot on Canadian democracy.

Canadians got instruction as never before, due to the Canadian Islamic Congress complaint, on the principle and value of free speech as the foundation of an open democracy.

They also learned how it can be undermined, given its fragile nature, by the zealotry of those who insist the causing of offence — real or perceived — should be criminalized to protect the sensibilities of designated minority groups in a multicultural society.  (…)

Canada is a mature democracy, and most Canadians are reasonable and law abiding.

For Parliament to constrain free speech beyond the existing reasonable limits through the provision in the human rights act of Section 13 is an insult to Canadians and Canadian democracy, and it should act wisely as Professor Moon recommends.