International Law

Human Rights Commissions: A Reader Wants To Know

By Garry J. Wise, Wise Law Office, Toronto

Frequent commenter Allan was apparently perturbed that I devoted space to last weekend's Mats Sundin trade deadline saga:

"Mats Sundin to Stay a Leaf" yeah a really important topic.

You have been strangely silent about your darling friends on the kangaroo courts.

I wonder why.

You're right Allan, Mats Sundin doesn't matter to our Toronto readers.

Ezra is where the real action is....

I've said much on Canada's human rights commissions already. Readers know where I stand.

And besides, given the bang-up job Big City Lib has been doing with this topic, I'm not sure I have anything more to be added at this time.

BCL, by the way, has been on fire this week.

Also see Dave at the Galloping Beaver on a real censorship issue, now playing courtesy of the Stephen Harper government.

Mr. Harper has introduced changes to the Income Tax Act that would allow the government retroactively "to pull financial aid for any film or television show that it deems offensive or not in the public's best interest ? even if government agencies have invested in them."

The Harper government plans to use the Income Tax system as a weapon to stifle anything they don't like - after it's made. It's a weapon and it is censorship. Once this bill passes no producer of Canadian film or television will know if they have the advantage of the Income Tax Act. The Canadian Revenue Agency won't be able to determine, based on a set of strict guidelines either. So a producer will never know, until after the government views the finished product, if a Canadian production meets the Harper government's unpublished standards.

In short: If you don't toe our line, we have the power to cause you personal financial damage.

- Garry J. Wise, Toronto

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Full post as published by Wise Law Blog on February 29, 2008 (boomark / email).