Never say die

Consider how bleak things looked six months ago for free speech advocates in Canada! Readers who have closely followed unfolding events since then know that much progress has been made to educate the Canadian public. Yet Canada's justice ministry and conservative government dragged their feet about taking action.

Now comes the stunning news of a breakthrough. Ezra Levant writes:

The Conservative government has introduced a motion to Parliament's Justice Committee proposing an investigation into the abusive, corrupt practises of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

The resolution ... was put forward by Rick Dykstra, the Conservative MP from St. Catherines, Ontario, with the knowledge and approval of the Justice Minister, Rob Nicholson. Here is an e-mail from Nicholson, sent to a voter [May 30], in which you can read his change of approach. An excerpt from Nicholson's letter:

I would like to inform you that my caucus colleague Mr. Rick Dykstra has tabled a motion that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights examine and make recommendations with respect to the CHRC, including its mandate, operations, and interpretation and application of provisions relating to section 13 of the CHRA, which addresses hate messages. I look forward to that review.

Well, well; I wonder if that means Justice Minister Nicholson doesn't like the taste of bananas.

Visit Ezra's site for a link to Nicholson's email and for the text of the motion. Ezra also summarizes other recent breakthroughs:

The government's proposed inquiry comes on top of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada's announcement last month that she is investigating the corrupt and abusive conduct of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

And earlier this month, Ottawa police referred a criminal complaint about the CHRC to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who are now conducting a criminal investigation.

Again, visit Ezra's site for links to information about the investigations.

Marc Lemire and his attorney Barbara Kulaszka have done a magnificent job of bringing forward shocking evidence about the way that the CHRC handles Section 13 complaints. So after years of lonely struggle they must be celebrating the motion to investigate the CHRC.

Yet Ezra warns of the long road still ahead for Canadians trying to restore freedom of speech in their country:

As Winston Churchill said after the breakthrough British victory at El Alamein, "this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal hearing on the Section 13 complaint against Maclean's magazine et al. begins on Monday in Vancouver.

The Canadian Association of Journalists has formally applied for standing as an intervenor on behalf of Maclean's, but there is a dissenting voice.

Visit Steyn Online and Free Mark Steyn! for links to all the reports and opinion as next week's kangaroo courtroom drama unfolds.