Ontario's Court of Appeals has dismissed psychologist Jordan Peterson's appeal of a lower court decision that the provincial regulatory body can subject him to mandatory social media re-education.
Peterson warns Canada not a free country after appeal dismissed | Western Standard | Jen Hodgson:
January 17, 2024 - "Psychologist and best-selling author Jordan Peterson declared Canada is not a free country after losing his appeal of a mandatory re-education case in the Ontario Court of Appeal.... The court denied Jordan Peterson’s motion to have the College of Psychologists of Ontario’s mandatory re-education ruling overturned on Tuesday. A panel of three judges made the decision, with no reasons given.
"None of the complaints against Peterson, who was a professor at the University of Toronto until 2017, were filed by a former patient or student, but from those who took offence to comments he made online.... Based on allegedly offensive comments Peterson made on social media and Joe Rogan’s podcast, the college said he would have to undergo a mandatory social media retraining program for an undetermined amount of time, paid for out of his pocket and by a trainer appointed by them in order to maintain his licence.
"The Ontario Divisional Court said in August the college was allowed to uphold the decision. Peterson appealed, which led to the ruling announced Tuesday. Peterson’s lawyer Howard Levitt told the National Post this was the last chance for appeal — he lamented the loss of free speech in Canada and said he thinks the case will set a precedent “licensing regulatory bodies to be more aggressive.”
“'Is there free speech in Canada?' Levitt said. 'To what extent are the limits on free speech in Canada, to free speech which is not criminal or not tortious, not a violation of any law? To what extent are regulated professionals and regulated trades impacted in terms of what they can say in the public forum? These are important issues and Canada has been castigated broadly for the decision of the divisional court,' the attorney said.
"The 18-page court decision included an explanation and more details on the training than were previously given, including a set time frame. Peterson is required to begin the training within three months and it will last up to 12 months. 'Requiring coaching following apparently unheeded advice seems a reasonable next step, proportionately balancing statutory objectives against Charter rights which are minimally impaired, if they are impaired at all, by the (college’s decision to require coaching),' the document states.
"Peterson’s comments in question include tweets made about Sports Illustrated's plus-size model campaign being 'not beautiful,' and about the surgeon that removed the breasts of transgender actor Elliot Page, formerly known as Ellen Page. Peterson, who has sounded the alarm on transgender surgeries in the past, said Page 'had her breasts removed by a criminal physician'.... Peterson was [also] accused of not taking climate change or COVID-19 mandates seriously and posting 'aggressive' comments about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and specifically, Trudeau's long-time friend and former principal secretary Gerald Butts, who was entrenched with Trudeau in the SNC Lavalin scandal in 2018.
"When the mandatory training was issued, Peterson refused to participate, and asked the courts to review his case. He said his speech on public platforms was outside the purview of the college’s authority.... The Ontario Divisional Court ruled in August [that] though Peterson didn’t break any laws, he was outside the rules in place for the regulated profession of practicing psychologists.... [T]he court documents state ... 'The order is not disciplinary and does not prevent Dr. Peterson from expressing himself on controversial topics.'"
Jordan Peterson Discusses His Court-Ordered Social Media Training | Theo Von Clips | August 30, 2023:
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