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Alberta Commission Begins Hearings On Publication of Muhammad Caricatures

By Howard Friedman

In Canada on Friday, the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission began hearings on the publication of controversial Muhammad cartoons two years ago by the Western Standard. Syed Soharwardy, head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, and the Edmonton Muslim Council filed the complaints. Western Standard publisher Ezra Levant was defiant. Friday's National Post quoted Levant, who said: "I don't need to be reasonable. I have maximum rights of free speech. I have the right to publish this for the most offensive reason, for the most unreasonable reasons." To emphasize his point, yesterday Levant republished the cartoons on his blog which also contains extensive details on the Commission hearings. Meanwhile yesterday's National Post also reported that Soharwardy now fears for his family's safety because of things written about him on Levant's blog. Here is a transcript of Levant's defiant opening remarks before the Human Rights Commission.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on January 15, 2008 (boomark / email).