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Rights organization dismisses complaint against Maclean's (CHRC drops charges against Mark Steyn)
National Post ^ | 6/27/2008 | Joseph Brean

Posted on 06/27/2008 12:38:52 PM PDT by mojito

The Canadian Human Rights Commission has dismissed a hate speech complaint against Maclean's magazine.

Brought by Mohamed Elmasry, national president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, the complaint was the centrepiece of a three-pronged offense against what he sees as Islamophobia in the national newsweekly, with columnists Mark Steyn and Barbara Amiel the main offenders.

An identical complaint, brought with the help of three Muslim law students who became the public faces of the complaint, was rejected in Ontario on jurisdictional grounds. The third was heard this month by a British Columbia tribunal, which is now deliberating.

Announcing the decision (the CHRC does not publicize dismissals of complaints), Maclean's said in a statement that it "is in keeping with our long-standing position that the article in question, "The Future Belongs to Islam," an excerpt from Mark Steyn's best-selling book America Alone, was a worthy piece of commentary on important geopolitical issues, entirely within the bounds of normal journalistic practice."

"Though gratified by the decision, Maclean's continues to assert that no human rights commission, whether at the federal or provincial level, has the mandate or the expertise to monitor, inquire into, or assess the editorial decisions of the nation's media. And we continue to have grave concerns about a system of complaint and adjudication that allows a media outlet to be pursued in multiple jurisdictions on the same complaint, brought by the same complainants, subjecting it to costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars, to say nothing of the inconvenience. We enthusiastically support those parliamentarians who are calling for legislative review of the commissions with regard to speech issues."

Specifically at issue was Maclean's publication of the article on its Web site. The federal human rights commission is the only such body that properly deals with hate spread via the internet, although there have been some apparent exceptions, such as a recent order of the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission that a pastor refrain from "disparaging" comments about homosexuals in his internet postings and private emails.

The ruling means the CHRC does not believe there is evidence to support a complaint that the Steyn article was "likely to expose" Muslims to hatred or contempt.


TOPICS: Canada; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: chrc; freespeech; humanrights; islam; macleans; marksteyn
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A nice victory for Steyn and free-speech. These "Human Rights" Commissions are star-chambers that should be abolished.
1 posted on 06/27/2008 12:41:01 PM PDT by mojito
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To: mojito

IIRC, this makes Steyn and Amiel the only people brought before the CHRC to ever not be found guilty.


2 posted on 06/27/2008 12:44:39 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (~ ~ FREE LAZAMATAZ! ~ ~)
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To: mojito

We’ll break out the bubbly (Sparkling Apple Cider) and pork products tonight! Congratulations to the defenders of free speech & truth! Cheers for Mark Steyn!


3 posted on 06/27/2008 12:45:14 PM PDT by oneamericanvoice (Support freedom! Support the troops! Surrender is not an option!)
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To: mojito

bump!


4 posted on 06/27/2008 12:45:15 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
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To: mojito
Outstanding! Sad, though, that we're so happy for an outcome that should have been a no-brainer. I guess they wanted to clear the decks at the CHRC to take on that lesbian-baiting comedian.
5 posted on 06/27/2008 12:48:16 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (If it is going to take 10 years, shouldn't we get started? Drill here, drill now, pay less.)
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To: mojito

Apparently, you’ve got to hire a lawyer and go to court in order to exercise your right of “free” speech in Canada.


6 posted on 06/27/2008 12:49:30 PM PDT by Brilliant
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To: mojito
The ruling means the CHRC does not want its Stalinism exposed to the light of day.
7 posted on 06/27/2008 12:50:59 PM PDT by Calvin Locke
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To: mojito

Please see my tagline.


8 posted on 06/27/2008 12:52:03 PM PDT by 3AngelaD (They screwed up their own countries so bad they had to leave, and now they're here screwing up ours)
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To: mojito
Whoops, pays to read carefully ...

The third was heard this month by a British Columbia tribunal, which is now deliberating.

Heather's not done with him yet.

9 posted on 06/27/2008 12:53:31 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (If it is going to take 10 years, shouldn't we get started? Drill here, drill now, pay less.)
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To: mojito

They(the commission)couldn’t take the heat could they? I think Mark is the only one that ever beat these idiots and he is probably the most famous also.


10 posted on 06/27/2008 12:54:16 PM PDT by calex59
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To: mojito

Time for a countersuit, Mark.


11 posted on 06/27/2008 12:58:34 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: Slings and Arrows
That's what I was thinking too. I remember reading that these kangaroo councils had a 100% "conviction rate" (or whatever they call it). It is to be certain that this was dismissed not on the merits, but because (A) CHRHC is hugely embarrassed over the Internet publicity given this case and (B) wanted to be spared the exposure of being roasted at an appeals trial.

I don't know anything about Canadian law -- do MacLean's and Steyn have any process where they can sue CHRC for defamation, wrongful prosecution, etc.? Or at least sue to recover their costs?

12 posted on 06/27/2008 12:59:31 PM PDT by NewJerseyJoe (Rat mantra: "Facts are meaningless! You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!")
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To: mojito

/mark for later


13 posted on 06/27/2008 1:09:26 PM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (You are receiving this broadcast as a dream)
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To: NewJerseyJoe
There's no compensation system there I've ever heard of with these CHRC cases. On the other hand Steyn and company could approach the Parliament for a private bill to deal with their expenses.

It is, after all, Canada's Parliament that is the cause of all this nonsense.

14 posted on 06/27/2008 1:13:01 PM PDT by muawiyah (We need a "Gastank For America" to win back Congress)
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To: mojito
Canada is a horrible, broken country that probably can not be fixed on this issue. This supposedly good news contains this amazing statement "a recent order of the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission that a pastor refrain from "disparaging" comments about homosexuals in his internet postings and private emails. "

The Government in Canada is now telling people what they and cannot say in private communication. Not since the heyday of Communism has the state interjected itself is such a way.

How very, very sad for Canada and Canadians.

15 posted on 06/27/2008 1:17:46 PM PDT by Jack Black
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To: mojito

Good news!!


16 posted on 06/27/2008 1:18:44 PM PDT by SuziQ
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To: mojito

Steyn won’t be beheaded then? Bravo!


17 posted on 06/27/2008 1:42:42 PM PDT by BlazingArizona
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To: mojito

So Free Speech won (this time.)

What happens when the body reverses itself next time?


18 posted on 06/27/2008 2:36:21 PM PDT by Tzimisce (How Would Mohammed Vote? Obama for President!)
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To: NewJerseyJoe

The big thing is that they forced the defendants to spend time and money having to deal with this kangaroo court. Win or lose, they will make you pay for your Political Incorrectness


19 posted on 06/27/2008 2:40:19 PM PDT by PapaBear3625 ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." -- George Orwell)
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To: PapaBear3625; muawiyah
I wonder if there are going to be Muslim riots across Canada now.
20 posted on 06/27/2008 2:50:26 PM PDT by NewJerseyJoe (Rat mantra: "Facts are meaningless! You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!")
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