Check It Out: Freedom is what makes Canada strong
By Joan Janzen
joanjanzen@yahoo.com
My joke for this week ... Question: How do you get a Canadian to apologize? Answer: You step on their foot.
It’s true ... Canadians are quick to apologize, but will they be so quick to apologize when their freedoms are stepped on? Pierre Poilievre, Ontario MP, explained to his colleagues that Section 2B of the charter of rights and freedoms is at stake, which includes freedom of thought, belief, opinion, expression, freedom of the press, and other media. Section 2B guarantees us the liberty to express ourselves without reserve and without coercion from the state. He gave a quote by the English author, Orwell, “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” And that’s exactly what is being censored in Canada ... information that the government doesn’t want to be heard by Canadians.
“Amendments to Bill C-10 were voted before they were made public at a committee,” Pierre said, adding that he had never seen that happen before. A former CRTC member described Bill C-10 as an assault on freedom of expression, allowing political appointees to dictate what we see and say on the internet. However, censorship is already taking place in Canada.
A recent virtual news conference on Parliament Hill raised concerns about the censorship of doctors and scientists. Dr. Byram Bridle, an Associate Professor on Viral Immunology at the University of Guelph, spoke at the conference. “I am in a public smear campaign but for every vicious attack I receive, I am receiving fifty notes of support and encouragement.”
The doctor is trying to serve as an objective voice of scientific opinion. “I work at a publicly funded academic association, so I feel when Canadians have questions it is my responsibility to give the most informed answer that I can,” he said and continued to explain why he is the victim of a smear campaign.
“Two weeks ago I gave a five minute radio interview. I answered a question I was asked because my entire research program is based on the development of vaccines. I have a lot of expertise in this area. A large number of collaborators and I have developed some concerns and I felt that I could express my concerns. Five minutes after I gave the interview it was like a nuclear bomb went off in my world. I’m sure my life will not be the same again.”
He proceeded to describe what was happening in his life. “I’ve been undergoing daily attacks and I’m experiencing lots of harassment in the work place.” He appreciates that the administration from his institution has made it very clear they are supportive of him and they honour and respect the basic tenant of freedom of speech, however colleagues have been harassing him on social media and in the work place.
“Physicians are afraid to lose their jobs so they will not speak out,” he said. “By expressing concerns my career may very well be destroyed. I don’t understand that; it’s incomprehensible to me. As Canadians we have to ask, do we want our scientists and physicians’ voices suppressed? We’re polarized right now in Canada; we have people on both sides. I’m respectful of those who hold an opposite opinion; I ask the same for myself and my colleagues. We can’t suppress open discussion of science and medicine in Canada. It’s the hallmark of a democratic society. Right now I don’t recognize the country I was born into,” he concluded.
Next Dr. Patrick Phillips said, “On April 30, 2021 the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario came out with a very chilling statement. Basically saying it’s the responsibility of all physicians not to communicate anti vaccine, anti distancing, anti masking, anti lockdown statements and/or promoting unsupported treatments for Covid 19. They were very explicit and threatened investigation and discipline for any physicians who expressed any of the negative aspects of any of these interventions no matter what the evidence says.” Yet Dr. Phillips felt compelled to speak out because he had never seen so many suicidal children before.
Another example of censorship is being experienced by Lifesite News, a Catholic based news site. They say “LifeSite is in danger of being shut down and silenced by most of the platforms that are reaching people with our news, and there is near total absence of LifeSite reports from Google searches. LifeSite’s reports often completely contradict internationally coordinated mainstream media reports, but we are fully confident that our reports are true.”
However there is some good news ... the Speaker of the House of Commons did strike down several last-ditch, secret amendments to Bill C-10, delaying its advancement through the legislative process. This Bill would only serve to amplify the already present censorship that’s taking place in Canada.
The true north needs to be free in order to be strong. Have a happy Canada Day!
You can contact me at joanjanzen@yahoo.com