Evidence of meeting #152 for Justice and Human Rights in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was groups.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
10:20 a.m.
Liberal
10:20 a.m.
Partner, Waldman & Associates, As an Individual
Section 13 of the Canadian human rights code requires us to look at hallmarks of hatred. It targets the most extreme type of speech, that which demonizes and dehumanizes individuals by referencing them to subhuman characteristics, calling them cancers, calling them mosquitoes and vermin. This is the type of speech that I think is properly dealt with by section 13 according to the sociological evidence and the—
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
10:20 a.m.
Partner, Waldman & Associates, As an Individual
I'm not sure that the answer is relevant.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Could you just confirm that you attended a July 19, 2014, rally in front of the Royal Ontario Museum?
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Were you at a July 19, 2014, rally in front of the Royal Ontario Museum?
10:20 a.m.
Partner, Waldman & Associates, As an Individual
I might have been. My remarks today—
10:20 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather
Please let the witness finish, Mr. Cooper. You can ask questions, but she has to be allowed to finish.
10:20 a.m.
Partner, Waldman & Associates, As an Individual
What I think is happening is exactly what was happening at the time of the Maclean's complaint. Instead of addressing the substance of what I'm saying and the harm of the discussion, at that time and now the focus is put on the individual who is making the complaint and—
10:20 a.m.
Partner, Waldman & Associates, As an Individual
—that's exactly one of the issues that I find with section 13. Those who are standing up, not for themselves—because, of course, I was not named personally in Mark Steyn's article. I was standing up for a community, and that's what individuals are required to do. Disadvantaged, disenfranchised communities are required to shoulder the burden of combatting online hate and then confront personal attacks similar to what the Conservative government is doing today and also did at that time.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
I can confirm that you were at that rally in which pro-Hamas chants occurred, where there were such anti-Semitic slogans as "from the river to sea, Palestine will be free". I'm looking at an image in which there's a sign saying "stop the Palestinian holocaust now. Fascist Israelis will be brought to justice.” So, yes, you did attend that.
Now, how much time do I have?
10:20 a.m.
NDP
Tracey Ramsey NDP Essex, ON
Mr. Chair, I have to intervene. There's a mischaracterization of someone who attended a public rally. A witness here at the committee right now is having to agree with those particular things that were just read, having to subscribe to them. I think that's a gross mischaracterization. Again, this is not what Ms. Mithoowani is here to testify about.
This is not meant to be a personal court. I think that the continuing usage by Mr. Cooper in this way to personally go after witnesses is reprehensible. This is the second time, Mr. Chair.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather
I understand, but we have to also understand that it's not unparliamentary—
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Housefather
For the chair to intervene, it has to be something that is unparliamentary. I can only suggest again, as we did last time, that Mr. Cooper move back to the subject matter so that we can move on with the meeting.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
Ali Ehsassi Liberal Willowdale, ON
No. This is going to happen again, Mr. Chair. We've seen this way too often.
10:25 a.m.
Conservative
10:25 a.m.
NDP
Tracey Ramsey NDP Essex, ON
Frankly, he's just read into the record that she agrees with the signs that he read—
