Human rights vs. free speech
Posted Oct 12, 2011 6:44 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada will hear a case Wednesday that challenges the constitutionality of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.
The case involves Bill Whatcott, who was found to have violated the code by delivering hate-filled messages against gay people in flyers he distributed.
However, that finding that was reversed by the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal in 2010.
Whatcott is questioning part of the code that allows the commission to charge people with hate speech.
His lawyer has said human rights commissions have an obligation to protect freedom of religion.
Whatcott was found to have violated the code when he put pamphlets in mailboxes objecting to the teaching of same-sex relations in Saskatoon public schools.
