Thats not fair. Certainly there is lots of that but many people who have spoken out against these complaints think the values of human rights and multiculturalism are important yet need to be more properly balanced against other values such as Mark Steyn’s right to free expression, and MacLean’s freedom to control its property (before you point out that private property isnt in the Charter I am aware of that, neither is human rights law–but both are firmly engrained in Canadian statutes and common law)

Law is Cool: See above, and elsewhere on this site. Steyn supporters have repeatedly condemned multiculturalism, minority rights, the Charter, and even Canada.

Law is Cool:
Eric, like all the other comments here, we’ve addressed this.
The Supreme Court of Canada specifically identified the Human Rights Commissions in Keegstra as a preferable alternative to address hate speech issues to avoid its criminalization.
As for the Voltaire quote, it is frequently cited by those in power, with access and influence. In the case of Voltaire himself, he was a rabid anti-Semite, and his works fueled pogroms across Europe.
But again, we’ve addressed this already on this site.

Nothing to see here, move along.

Law is Cool: As espoused by Steyn fans, yes. Free speech is highly valued in Canada, within the limits the law has outlined.

Yep. I’m another Steyn fan. Sue me. (Hold on. You actually might…)

Frankly, when the “specific issue” to which you refer is the right of a Canadian magazine to make its own editorial decisions, I think all Canadians have a right to be outraged. Freedom of the Press is an essential part of any Free and Democratic society, and we ignore this at our peril.

I really, really hope that the Canadian “Human Rights” Commission finds Macleans guilty. With any luck, this will spark outrage accross the country and force the Canadian Parliament to get off their collective asses and put a stop to these Orwelian show trials once and for all.

Law is Cool: Hi Ben,
Basically you’ve repeated here what Steyn fans have said dozens of times. No points for originality here.
Human Rights Commissions are firmly entrenched in Canadian society, and would require a massive legal overhaul to remove them. If anything, they have indicated that it is the values that you and your like espouse that are Orwellian and require attention.
Even free speech has its limits - look around the site, we’ve address this many times over.

Oh, I came from Steyn’s blog too so I guess you expected that. You’re on top of things.

Law is Cool: We are indeed. Most human rights complaints are filed and resolved without any notice by the public or the media. It was Mr. Steyn who brought attention to this complaint, not even filed against him personally, and made a spectacle of it. Furthermore, the complainants have been especially reserved in any public statements about him personally. There is no duty by complainants to publicly debate the merits of their case or otherwise justify it to the public.

As we’ve stated elsewhere, the public “outrage” by Steyn’s unruly fans - who hold both multiculturalism and human rights in disdain - only reinforces the need for this specific issue to be addressed by legal remedies.

Law is Cool: Actually, as we’ve repeatedly stated on this site, Steyn’s facts are indeed lacking. Unlike the individuals on this interview segment, we have repeatedly demonstrated how mistaken Steyn is, and how poor his understanding of global politics poses a dangerous threat to Canada.

Law is Cool: It is our understanding, without having asked the complainants, that this is standard procedure for human rights complaints. It is being filed on behalf of a national organization representing the interests of a community across Canada. Other communities have done the same in previous complaints before the Commission.

Law is Cool: The SCC decisions they quoted were in fact very relevant. We have touched on a few of them here on this site.
Khomeni is an obscure figure in relation to Canadian communities, and Steyn makes one of his biggest mistakes in conflating different populations around the world.
We can infer that these students in fact finished near the top of their class based on where some of them are articling/clerking.