At one of many many such meetings I’ve attended, a member of what Ezra Levant calls “Canada’s Official Jews” — who were instrumental in bringing in these laws, only to (shock!) now see them used against them by radical Muslims — was being questioned by one of my free speech friends:

“But who decides where this ‘line’ is drawn? Whose to say what speech ‘goes too far’??’

Exasperated, the panelist (a lawyer and very high falutin’ member of the community) spat out, “Look, people like you and I just KNOW!”

It’s hard to capture his look and tone in print like this, but I will never forget it. It was so revealing.

What many folks don’t understand is the “class warfare” aspect to many “hate speech” cases up here. Inevitably, upper class, highly credentialed and well connected liberal/leftist lawyers are going after working and lower class people who make the mistake of using language the elites deem crude to discuss forbidden subjects like immigration, gay rights etc online. Conveniently for the elites, these lower class people can’t afford lawyers either… And no, there is no Legal Aid for Tribunal victims.

As a former working class person myself, I recognize the way these “thought criminals” speak. They speak like the people I grew up with. They aren’t politically correct.

The elites are trying to stop them from talking amongst themselves. The elites go after their politically incorrect language, but what they really want is to intimidate ordinary people into silence regarding multiculturalism and other sacred cows.

It’s

But never mind, let’s look past all the egregious “procedural” mistakes Levant and Steyn have laid out and remind ourselves about the horrors of free speech. If we abandon the CHRC, people will be reduced to nothing by the mean words of others! A Progressive’s unfaltering confidence in government to care for its subjects will never cease to amaze me.

Thanks, Ms. Shaidle, for sticking with this and covering it so effectively!

You would be correct…

PS – I could listen to Mark Steyn all day..