Free Speech in Canada? Not Exactly

Earlier this week, CKNW's Bill Good was interviewing Ontario MP Bob Rae. An older gentleman called into the show and chastised Rae's party for limiting free speech in Canada over the past few decades. Both Good and Rae chuckled at this comment, clearly viewing the man as some sort of reactionary. But was the gentleman wrong?

Today we learn that Ezra Levant is being charged with another human rights complaint, this time by a Gay Rights activist named Rob Wells. This fellow appears to be another serial complainer to the assorted "Human Rights" Commissions throughout Canada, using them to punish anyone he disagrees with. You can read the actual complaint here.

I've read and listened to Ezra Levant for a few years now and no reasonable person could ever draw the conclusion that he hated or even disliked gay people. Yet Mr. Levant is now going to have to spend one or more years defending himself, spending perhaps $10,000 - $50,000 in the process. Would a less outspoken person with less financial resources do so?

The cost to Mr. Wells, incidentally, will be zero. All of his expenses are paid for by the government and there's also zero chance that he will be charged with laying a fraudulent nuisance claim.

So do we really have free speech in Canada? I think not.