THE USE of human rights tribunals to censure individuals has been receiving increasing criticism.

One high-profile case, in which columnist Ezra Levant was ordered to appear before the Alberta Human Rights Commission for allegedly defaming Muhammad, ended in February when a Calgary imam withdrew his charges.

Three other cases remain unresolved.

Christian Heritage Party

Homosexuality is central to complaints  against the Christian Heritage Party (CHP) and its leader, Langley-based Ron Gray.

According to Gray, his troubles began when he read an article on the WorldNetDaily (WND) website. The story detailed an evident attempt to stifle debate on legal issues involving gays and lesbians.

In 2000, Gray states, The Stanford Law Review “decided to devote an edition to legal issues surrounding the ‘gay’ agenda.”The published edition, however, feature only “politically correct pro-’gay’ essays.”

One of the two editors, Gray asserted, “had censored the articles that questioned the validity of the ‘gay’ agenda.”

The other editor offered the rejected essays to the Regent Law Review, which published them in 2002. WND then published an article summarizing the essays in question, along with comments from pro-gay groups.

“When I read that story,”Gray says, “I felt the information was important to the public policy debate raging in Canada”around gay-related issues such as same-sex marriage. Consequently, Gray posted the WND story on CHP’s website.

In late 2006, an Edmonton-based activist lodged several complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC).

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In early 2007, Gray says he accepted the CHRC’s invitation to mediation with the complainant. However, he claims, the man has yet to respond.

Maclean’s

‘The future belongs to Islam’ is the title of an excerpt from a Mark Steyn book, America Alone, which appeared in Maclean’s magazine.

The Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC) complained to both the Canadian and Ontario human rights commissions, as well as the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.

In February, Steyn addressed the controversy in the National Post, stating: “It’s precisely because the article is not defamatory that the ‘plaintiffs’ have had to rig the game [via] ‘human rights’ pseudo-courts.”

The CIC, he noted, “is headed by Mohamed Elmasry, who declared on TV that he approved of the murder of any or all Israeli civilians over the age of 18.

“Good for him: I don’t begrudge him his freedom of speech. But, if he can dish it out so enthusiastically, shouldn’t he be able to take it just an eensy-teensy-weensy bit?

Catholic Insight

According to Canadian Catholic News, Catholic Insight magazine “has paid $6,000 in legal fees fighting a human rights ‘hate’ complaint, yet no hearing date is in sight.”

A complaint alleging the magazine had published “hate literature”directed at gays was lodged by Edmonton resident Rob Wells.

Insight editor Alphonse de Valk admits “there is vigorous language” and “strong words” about homosexuality in some of the magazine’s articles, but insists all of them also feature balancing comments from pro-gay sources.                        – David F. Dawes

May 2008