Sample Letter to Justice Minister Regarding Human Rights Commissions
The following is a sample letter, prepared by the ECP Centre, that may be helpful in writing a letter to the Justice Minister, Prime Minister, and your MP.
Dear Minister Nicholson,
Human Rights Commissions in Canada have stirred up a great deal of controversy in recent years. A primary reason for this controversy is that human rights commissions have taken on a role as censor, undermining fundamental and constitutionally protected rights such as the freedom of religion, freedom of conscience and freedom of speech. Additionally, these decisions violate principles of equity. In particular, when a “human rights” case involves a homosexual complaint against a Christian person or institution, the human rights tribunal rules in favour of the homosexual that discrimination did take place, imposing penalties on the Christian. Muslims have also begun to use the human rights commissions in an attempt to censor criticism of Islam.
The Canadian Human Rights Commission comes under your jurisdiction as the federal Justice Minister. As you know, the censorship provision of the Canadian Human Rights Act that complaints exploit when they file complaints with the CHRC is Section 13. Section 13 bans a wide scope of communication of comments claimed by a complainant to be “likely to expose a person or persons to hatred or contempt by reason of the fact that that person or those persons are identifiable on the basis of a prohibited ground of discrimination.”
Liberal MP Keith Martin has tabled a Private Member’s Motion (M-153), recommending the repeal of Section 13.
Richard Moon, who prepared a report on behalf of the CHRC, has recommended the repeal of Section 13.
The Justice Department, presumably under your direction, has launched an internal review of Section 13.
Many people, represented a variety of vocations, and different views across the political spectrum, have expressed their support for the repeal of Section 13.
None of these people support hateful language, but they recognize that Section 13 goes far beyond prosecuting language that is unacceptable in a free society.
The repeal of Section 13 may not be SUFFICIENT in terms of the reforms necessary for the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Canadian Human Rights Act, but it is a NECESSARY reform – a morally necessary reform. It is also a politically safe amendment.
As a Canadian citizen, committed to the historic Judeo-Christian values of this country; as a Christian who treasures the fundamental freedoms that play such an important part in the preservation of our civilization, I urge you to move immediately to repeal Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act.
Yours sincerely,
