My name is Gregory Tomchyshyn and I am the Campaigns Director of CitizenGO for Canada. I am reporting about an important legal battle that would have massive ramifications for free speech, not only here in Canada but also around the world.
Canadians are facing a major setback for freedom of speech, which is guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I have just witnessed how Dr. Jordan B. Peterson lost his initial court battle against the College of Psychologists of Ontario for free speech.
What the Ontario-based College and Courts have done against Peterson is increasingly likely to you and me.
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is a distinguished author, psychologist, online educator, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto (UofT).
His rise to prominence occurred in 2016 when he criticized the passing of Bill C-16, a federal law passed by Justin Trudeau’s federal Liberals that added "gender identity and expression" as prohibited grounds for discrimination in Canada's federal Human Rights Act and Criminal Code.
Peterson's opposition to the bill, which seeks to compel Canadians’ speech, catapulted him into the spotlight as a defender of free speech against political correctness and identity politics in Canada.
The College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO) decided to take action against Peterson for comments he made on his private Twitter account and on Joe Rogan's podcast in January 2022. The College accuses him of lacking professionalism and degrading and unprofessional statements.
As a result, they ordered him to undergo "social media communications retraining" or potentially have his license suspended.
Peterson challenged the CPO in court but ultimately lost the case, and was ordered to undergo the retraining as demanded. We cannot help but draw parallels to the dark chapters of history. Peterson's defeat in court is reminiscent of the oppressive rule of communism and the iron grip it holds over its citizens.
Peterson and his lawyers are working on appealing the ruling, with Peterson vowing to take the legal challenge all the way to Canada’s Supreme Court if needed.
This case is relevant globally, as it signals a potential rise in similar cases where authorities aim to silence individuals who challenge the status quo. Peterson's fight is reminiscent of other cases, such as that of Päivi Räsänen in Finland, whose government prosecutes her for publicly sharing her personally-held beliefs.
Will we allow this insidious pattern to spread further, allowing the right to free speech to crumble before our very eyes?The implications of this case extend far beyond national borders. It serves as a foreboding warning that authoritarian regimes across the globe may be emboldened, seeking to silence dissenting voices and eradicate any semblance of individuality.
If left unchallenged, this may lead to a world where the right to free speech is no more and the expression of differing opinions results in re-education or worse.
Are we willing to bear witness to a world where our right to express ourselves freely dissolves into nothingness?
The specter of censorship, re-education, and the stifling of differing opinions looms large in Peterson's struggle. It is up to us to decide whether we accept this future, where the state dictates what can be said, or whether we stand up against this encroachment on our fundamental rights.
The choice is ours, but the consequences are dire. Let's continue fighting for our rights and freedoms today so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy fundamental human rights and freedoms in Canada and around the globe.