Canadian Political Leaders Spar over Free Expression

Canadian political leaders recently sparred over the limits of free expression.

The exchange of views in Canada began in late October 2020 after Muslim killers in France had carried out separate attacks on a schoolteacher and three people in a church. Two journalists were also wounded outside Charlie Hebdo’s newsroom.

These attacks occurred while a court in Paris was trying 14 people accused of organizing the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo in January 2015. In September 2020, Charlie Hebdo began reprinting cartoons of Muhammad and mocking Muslim extremists.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the violence on October 30, 2020, but his comments on free expression dissatisfied some people.

“Freedom of expression is not unlimited. For example, it’s not allowed to cry ‘fire’ in a packed cinema,” Trudeau said in French during a press conference in Ottawa. “In a respectful society such as ours, everyone must be aware of the impact of our words and actions on others.

“There are communities experiencing huge discrimination in Canada today. So yes, we will always defend freedom of expression, but everyone must act respectfully toward others and not try to needlessly or arbitrarily hurt someone we share this planet and society with.”

In the next few days, Canadian political leaders criticized Trudeau’s qualified defence of expression rights. They included

Erin O’Toole, the leader of the federal Conservatives
Yves-François Blanchet, the leader of the Bloc Québécois
François Legault, the premier of Quebec

Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, phoned Legault on November 3, 2020, to thank him for taking a strong stand on the importance of free speech.

The criticism prompted Trudeau to firm up his defence of free expression.

“Canadians’ rights, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, all the rights Canadians expect governments to defend, we will always defend,” Trudeau said in the House of Commons on November 3, 2020.

“I think it is important to continue defending freedom of expression, freedom of speech,” he added. “Artists help us reflect and challenge our views and they contribute to our society and we will always continue to defend freedom of expression.”

REPORTAGE

Nov. 6, 2020

BBC News reports:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54774813

Levon Sevunts of Radio Canada International reports:

https://www.rcinet.ca/en/2020/11/06/trudeau-reaffirms-importance-of-freedom-of-expression-in-call-with-macron/

Nov. 4, 2020

In the Montreal Gazette, Philip Authier reports:

https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/france-thanks-quebec-premier-for-defending-freedom-of-expression

Nov. 3, 2020

Peter Zimonjic of CBC News reports:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-macron-legault-free-speech-1.5788636

The Canadian Press reports:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-legault-on-same-page-as-macron-suggests-trudeau-giving-in-to-terror/?cmpid=rss

Emerald Bensadoun of Global News reports: