It is disgusting that Ezra has to pay his own legal fees while the commission is funded by taxpayers!

Go Ezra Go!

I think it is terrible that these kangaroo courts, made up of people with an agenda instead of legfal training , have been given so much power in Canada.

These people know absolutely NOTHING about justice, (nor do many courts for that matter!) They should be either abolished or given strict guidelines to stick to the charter.

There should be a public campaign to abolish the Human Rights Commissions and to direct disputes where they belong, in the courts.

Can the NCC initiate such a campaign? I have already sent $100 to Levant to support his fight, and I shall support a campaign for abolishment with another initial donation. This is a campaign to which I would give a high priority.

Ezra, a truly great Canadian, is right on as usual. The rest of us gutless wonders will sit back and watch as our democratic principals are thrashed by so called “human rights” activities. God Bless Ezra Levant, and all those who sail with him.

What the hell is going on???!!!

Enough of this garbage with the obviously out of control Human “rights ” Commissions.
They are a disgrace to all Canadians who believe in freedom.
The Federal and provincial governments should eliminate them immediately .
Thank God for men like Ezra Levant …another Canadian hero in the mold of Don Cherry .

I too stand behinde Ezra Lavant and support him all the way. I wonder why the media has not mentioned anything about the Muslim girl that was murdered by her Dad in Calgary for not wanting to wear the tradidional islam garb for women.
When Latamer killed his daughter because of her phsical suffering they put him in jail for 11 years and still won’t let him out.
Is this guy going to get sentenced or are the Muslems exempt from our Laws? I would like to know what is going on here in our Christian country?
As far as I know it is still Christian.
May I suggest you look up www.Islam Review.com Then get some of the books if you want the truth about their way of life. It is not a religion it is a way of life.
Try reading the Islamization of North America if you want to get a shock me friends.

This surprises me; why has this HRC matter not been challenged in the Supreme Court of Canada, or has it? The whole set up seems to be unconstitutional but not being a lawyer I am like the rest of the people wondering what we should be doing about it. We’ve been hearing about the procedures of the HRC and tribunals for a long time…
MC

it is even more disgusting that our National media are not defending Ezra’s freedom of the press , and are apparently not prepared to challenge the human rights people on such an issue. Whether we agree with Ezra’s opinion or not, in a true democracy it seems to me we should be defending his right to speak his opinion without fear

What will it take to waken the media?

I will write a few editors. They
will all, of course, leap to attention and
get on the ball.

Especially the CBC.

SOMEBODY must have a better idea!
What is it?????

Please!!!

Frank Gue.

Same thing with Mark Steyn and the article he wrote in Macleans (an excerpt from his book) where he quoted an Imam and thereby “offended” some Muslims in Canada.

The idea of these “offended” people is not to win these trivial cases. It is to use our taxpayer funded system to bankrupt the people who are speaking out about what is going on in the world today in the name of fanatical religion. As Mark Steyn says, “Civilizations die from suicide, not murder”. Allowing these assinine accusations and lawsuits to proceed is the suicide of our freedom and eventually our democratic nation.

See Mark Steyn’s response here; well worth reading it all: http://www.macleans.ca/columnists/article.jsp?id=5&content=20080103_113631_1360

Human Rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms have run amuck. While they are good on paper, it is the application of these rights using gestapo like mentality (as the one Ezra faces) that has effectively ’silenced’ ones right to ‘not agree’ or ‘dislike’ through false ‘protection.’ Further as evidence of the flaw of the Charter is a local school board that has decided to include the playing of “O Canada’ prior to clases. HOWEVER, those who cannot participate due to ‘religous reasons” (as per the Charter) may be exempt from participating. Good grief Canadians. STand up to this absurd application of ‘he hurt my feelings’ or “due to religion I cannot show patriotism to my country” and demand change. We have, as Lorne Gunter exposes, lost much thanks to Trudeau.

Christians put up with all sorts of stupid stuff such as the “Piss Christ” etc. yet most Christians don’t go around blowing stuff up because they are angered at the disrespect shown to whom they consider to be the Son of God.

Similarly, some rioting Muslims should get a thicker skin. Ezra Levant was correct in publishing the cartoons.

I believe the old saying: “Stick and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me.” are instructive in this regard.

Moreover, the whole controversy is so stupid as the so called Mohammed depicted is wearing what appears to be a Sikh turban!?! The cartoonist is clearly lampooning those who take their faith to violent extremes by denoting a stick of TNT in the turban.

For those who seriously consider their faith a ‘religion of peace’ the depiction unmistakably takes aim at the extremists who would use their faith as justification for clearly violent political aims.

I would think only the “hotheads”, who are already unstable, would be provoked.

The more mature people of an ostensible ‘religion of peace’ would shrug this off as the stupidity of the ignorant.

In this regard the HRC is completely off base. One does not promote a dialogue by shutting down dialogue.

Either the HRC values freedom of speech or it does not.

Free speech is exactly that, speech that costs nothing.

Next we will be banning social commentary songs like the one by Bruce Coburn which contained the lyrics “I wish I had a rocket launcher”.

Gov’t beaurocracy gone wild! The Alberta HRC should do their homework before taking on such a task that is a fundamental Canadian right. Tax dollars whould not be wasted on this garbage.

Ezra’s issue is nothing.

Why is the NCC not commenting on how the Alberta Provincial PC’s punted Chandler?

Democracy is also being ignored in Alberta!

Several people were trying to comment on free speech in canada and Ezra at a story the G&M had on web censorship in Saudi Arabia, most of the comments did not make it past the moderator. They gassed the thread at 36 comments, 200 or 300 is fairly common.
Check out the thread:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080114.wcomment0114/CommentStory/International/home#commentLatest

It is amazing that the press is not up in arms over it’s right to publish what it wants. If this was a Christian cartoon they would be yelling and screaming that their rights were being violated. Because it is Muslim they all wilt like flowers. What a collection of wimps.

I think Ezra’s case and the Maclean’s/Steyn one are the most important issues in Canada today. Without freedom of expression and freedom of the press there is no democracy. I am also very disappointed at the absence of concern amongst most of the mainstream media.

The effects of political correctness, special interest groups and self serving activist make the plague and aids look like an act of kindness.

We live in a far more repressive society than either the old USSR or China.
We can no longer make our own decisions as to how we wish to live. There is seat belt legislation, bicycle safety legislation, legislation telling us what we can say, legislation on how to raise our children……….etc. etc.
Most people don’t realize it but we live in a more regulate dsociety than many dictatorships.

I support Ezra—who broought him before the AHRC? Bet his name is Muhammad.

The villain in this situation is unfettered liberalism which has been on the attack against traditional common human decency in Western society ever since a bunch of liberals took a stand against the censorship of “lady Chatterley’s Lover” which contained the “f” word which was and remains offensive to many sensitive Westerners. These sensibilities were simply disregarded and even the word “decency” has now all but disappeared. No wonder then, that a Danish cartoonist thought it OK to belittle Islam and that Christ with an erect penis is now on display as art! Both were created to offend and both language vandals responsible deserve a bloody good hiding!

How can they punish someone for standing up for what the majority of Canadians want. When will we all have the guts to stand up and support someone with the balls to oppose the Muslim menace.
We cannot have any Christian religion espoused in our schools, and yet everywhere we look there is another mosque springing up, and yes some of them are preaching hatred and terrorism. I take my hat off to Levant for his courageous stand.

Please omit the word “language” from my previous comment

Go Ezra Go! You have many (most) behind you .. except of course Muslims. If the Human Rights Commission can find fault with your freedom of speech, then Gov Canada should review or clarify this portion of the applicable act for their benefit.

Our government should make it clear, if you can’t agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and have the opportunity to go to another country, perhaps, then, that’s a better option. Canadians built this country, fought for this country and will not tolerate challenges by immigrants who wish it to adjust to their beliefs.

Alan Borovoy of the Caadian Civil Liberties Association, who, with his like-minded colleagues, were instrumental in the establishment of Human Rights tribunals across the country, has finally admitted that they had created a Frankenstein monster. Some decades ago when Borovoy and company got busy, conservatives predicted precisely this outcome. We conservatives can once more take grim satisfaction in seeing orselves vindicated, but why do Canadians have to suffer over and over again as liberal-leftists trample our fundamental liberties into the ground with their muddy boots?

Human Rights Commissions have been used on a number of occasions to silence critics of policies of a particular group or religion. In Ontario the Zionists frequently use the law to prevent views opposed to theirs, being made public.The Ontario Attorney General is very diligent in supporting this particular group.
I don’t know what the answer is, and when sanity and fairness will again prevail… DSY

There’s a reason that I don’t subscribe to any newspaper. The last paper to give a balanced viewpoint was the National Post when Conrad ran it. The same goes for television news coverage. We don’t have a FOX in Canada - if we did, I suspect it would be as widely popular as it is in the US.
Fortunately the Internet has replaced the other media as a source of information. I have already written to my MP about abolishing these undemocratic Commissions. He (Gary Lunn) is having his own problems currently with the Nuclear Commission. The Securities Commissions are another that have to go. Check out www.marksteyn.com to read about Mclean’s hassle with another Muslim group.
It has to end.

I agree with the publisher’s right but question what purpose is it to upset a minority with informastion wich has no value other than raising hate

Ezra Levant is a very courageous individual…as is Mark Steyn and the editor of Macleans who said he would go bankrupt before he printed a response from the Muslin community regarding Steyn’s opinions on Muslim demographics in the western world. Macleans has some financial backing, but I urge all of you to go to EzraLevant.com and donate to his war against the Human Rights Commission of Alberta. It’s money well spent.

Just what I would have expected from moist Canadians who have been brain washed by the CBC and the liberal left.Most Canadians are pacifist naive and uninformed and hide their head in the sand and are afraid to even debate many issues.You know what CHURCHILL said about that attitude!Are they insecure?

Douglas Babcook

Please please, push Steven Harper very hard for a full Public inquiry on the the Mulroney affair.

Canadian’s want justice on this matter………ES

I am completely on the side of Ezra Levant. There are plenty of decent Muslims out there and Ezra means these individuals no harm. The real bigot in this situation, and Muslim detractor, is the Alberta Human Rights Commission and I believe that most of my Muslim friends would agree with me. Muslims do not need affirmative action. They want equal treatment to hold their heads high. The founders of this nation would mark this day as a crushing blow on freedom. The Alberta Human Rights Commission would probably try to string them up too. I also resent the fact that my money is being confiscated by force, through taxes, and used to oppress freedom minded individuals.

In the US, one magazine, The New Individualist, also published some of the cartoons, including one on their cover. As far as I know they have not drawn any legal action…or any other negative consequences. I suggest that you contact them for further information, as they would surely be glad to help.

I admire and fully support Ezra for taking a stand in the defence of our fundamental freedoms.The requirement for Ezra to appear before the AHRC for the publishing of the cartoons is an indication that the AHRC does not have the wisdom nor the courage to reject frivolous cases for fear of being accused of hatemongering by calling a spade a spade.In a worse case scenario the AHRC may actually, in its ignorance or perhaps arrogance, believe in the validity of the accusations and in its responsibility to act like the inquisition did in the middle ages in Europe or the mullah’s do today in those parts of the islamic world where they have the power to do so.
Ezra will do this country a great favour if he can manage to advance his case from the level of a kangeroe court to the court of law and hopefully free the country from the illusion that appeasing those who cannot adapt themselves to the traditions and culture of this country, which they voluntarily chosen to live in, serve a greater purpose for the benefit of our society.
Art Winckers

Way to go Ezra, nice to see someone will stand up for our freedom of speech. Seems rediculous to have a claim against you for publishing a silly cartoon that was made by someone else, and while the compaintees create violence all over the world. Canada has to wake up, or we will loose our heritage and way of life. In fact I think it is already too late, thats why I and my wife are moving out of Canada even though we were born and raised here. The Human rights commision needs to be abolished imediately. Stop this stupid persicution of our good Canadian citizens.

If you support the view that the AB Human Rights Commission has falsely attacked Ezra Levant’s rights (and ours indirectly) please send your concern directly to the AB Human Rights Commission in Calgary by fax - 403-297-6567. I really doubt they give one hoot about the comments made in defence of Mr. Levant on this site - I had sent them my concerns with this first happened and they could care less what I think - how does that feel? Pretty sick.

It is sad when Ezra has to stand almost alone as one of the few concientious citizens of our great country to expose the serious dangers of our current political correctness gone dangerously amuck. To quote Mark Steyn’s quote from Queen Margrethe of Denmark from his recent McLean’s article:

Two years ago, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, musing on Islamic radicalism in her own country, said that people need occasionally to “show their opposition to Islam… It is a challenge we have to take seriously. We have let this issue float about for too long because we are tolerant and very lazy. And when we are tolerant, we must know whether it is because of convenience or conviction.”

I support Ezra Levant in his fight against the 3 Human Rights Tribunals that have targeted him.

The comments of the majority here are in support of freedom of speech in Canada. But what concrete action can we all take to try and stop the police-state behaviour of these government interrogations as Ezra calls them? It seems to me the National Citizens coalition should launch a campaign to have these commissions abolished and that there would be strong support for it. I mean financial support. How about it, NCC?
Frank O’Callaghan

I just phone my MLA to voice my concern but he/she is out of the country. When I told the secretary my concern of what was happening to Ezra by the AB Human Rights Commission, the secretary did not have a clue of what I was talking about. So, not even those who are suppose to be in the ‘know’ in our provincial gov’t are aware, or worse yet, don’t care, what is going on in this government agency. How pathetic is that?

God bless you, Ezra! “Illegitimus non carborundum” (w/ apologies to any latin scholars)!

I am proud to call Ezra Levant my friend.

He is a freedom fighter and deserves all of our support morally and financially.

Suggest those Canadians who do not understand the radical Islam problem
should read “”While Europe Slept”"by Bruce Bawer!!!—About destroying the West from within!

why should any one be surprised this is just another example of political correctness .Real freedom is being eroded daily by left wing kooks and special interest groups who use our enshrined institutions against us.Just look at the supreme pinacle of wealth redistribution Kyoto it almost makes you want to move to the U S but then who wants to be surrounded by creationists.

Could and should file countersuit against these “complainants”, I’m no lawyer but I think he should have an “open and shut” case for defense. Let’s hope so.

To Douglas Babcook, thank you for the info on the book “While Europe Slept” - I will be ordering a copy today. Thank you.

There are an amazing number of “Canadians’ who hold citiizenship of Canada out of convenience, not loyalty. Think, for example of all the “Canadians” caught up recently in the strife in Lebanon who demanded the Canadian government rescue them when they were there earning a living, not in Canada defending the ideals of Canadians, whatever they are, in resolving Middle East problems. Then there’s the wife and children of a Somali War Lord living on Canadian largesse in Canada while her husband wages a private and unjdoubtedly very expesive war. Added to this are the thousands of absentee Canadians from China (Hong Kong), India and other nations whose incomes and interests lie in other countries where they avoid paying either corporate or personal income taxes but can return to Canada any time they please for free medical aid, other social benefits and freedom from other restrictions prevalent in their native countries.. Until Canada attaches the notion of “loyalty” to the citizenships it grants so freely, the freedom to be a Canadian remains highly diluted and special interests take precedence over national accountability. Just think about Mr. Dion’s remarks on the future of Canadian military involvement in Afghanistan to its political leader. That demonstated Dion has some convuluted view of loyalty to the country of his birth, linking him philisophically with thousands of psuedo Canadians who don’t have any notion of what loyalty to country is all about.

Ezra Levant is a true Canadian. He has demonstrated that over and over. Don’t let his name make you believe otherwise.

I appreciate the NCC hilighting this and believe this issue should be kept as a number one priority untiil it is dealt with. These “Human Rights Commissions” are a disgrace to the country and go against everything we have stood for. Real criminals get a fairer trial. The whole setup is completely unfair and stinks from top to bottom. They were never meant to wield the powers they now have. Those that have allowed this to happen, namely our elected reprenstatives who like to pass the buck, should be held accountable. The cowards that run to these “Comissions” to advance their own agendas should be charged as a public nuisance. As we have learned from history, these things generally get worse. Eventually the NCC will hurt someone’s feelings and be outlawed. With Ezra Levant and Mark Steyn now being hauled before the Gestapo, NOW is the time to speak up. Write your MP’s. Write the media. Support Ezra and Mark. Get the word out.

God help us.

I just read an artilce how China has imprisoned freedom fighters. Those who dare speak against their (China’s) gov’t are forced from their homes, sick or not, and thrown in jail. Ezra Levant published cartoons that a Muslim group did not like. Now Ezra is being interogatted by the Alberta Human Rights Commission. Is it just me, or do you see a parallel here. Speak openly against some issue - jail - interrogation?

I agree with all about freedom of speech, but lets face it the cartoons were published not for that reason but because as Ezra Lavant had said to offend Muslims that is precisely why he did it his own words not mine and in his interview he shows such hatred for Muslims that is offensive it makes one sick. So all you Ezra supporters/lovers out there please spare me the bull crap about how he was defending his freedom of speech, he is a Muslim hating Jew and that is the real story of why he did it. Look at the uproar he caused all over the world that’s not freedom of speech that’s causing hatred and prejudice.

Imagrants run from lands of operetion, theastic rule. Canada is a secular society. The world should have printed the cartoons. Everyone is afraid. National Anthem ” We stand on gard for thee” Canada is in jeperdy not from out but from within. Presently we are fighting against extreemisim…However
WE alow extremists to be here among us, yet they cover the woman in a shrowd. Wake up smell the coffe. Were on the planet is there not a problem with extemist muslims? France, England, phillipins, Bali, india, Netherlands…. Was not a movie maker shot dead in the Netherlands for offending muslim sensabilities? This is the classic case of good guy being a stupid naiev sucker. Placating lets situation fester and empowers the placated

There is something called hate propaganda in Canada and it is illegal.

From the Criminal Code of Canada:

319. (1) Every one who, by communicating statements in any public place, incites hatred against any identifiable group where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace is guilty of
(a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or
(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.

Wilful promotion of hatred
(2) Every one who, by communicating statements, other than in private conversation, wilfully promotes hatred against any identifiable group is guilty of
(a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or
(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.

The law clearly shows you can’t just say publicly whatever you want, not in newspapers, in broadcast and yes, not on the Internet, either. Apparently some people don’t understand the law

Ezra is a zionist - he finds all that is muslim repulsive - his muslim hating rants are done under the disguise of freedom of speech. he is a sick man …