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CAFE - June 22, 2009
Who would have thought even a year ago that two of the four candidates seeking the leadership of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party would unabashedly promise to abolish ( not tinker with or tweak or reform -- but abolish the meddlesome anti-free speech hydra called the Ontario Human Rights Commission? According to press ratings, they are fourth place Randy Hillier, MPP, an Eastern Ontario populist, and contest leader Tim Hudak, MPP from Fort Erie. Both have made it clear that free speech IS the issue. Randy Hillier's promotional postcards made his position abundantly clear: "Eliminate Human Rights Commissions," a headline proclaimed. "Abolish the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal which have shown that they are not concerned with actual human rights such as freedom of speech or religion."
The clear pro freedom stance by candidates Hillier and Hudak, triggered an attack from the Red Tory branch of the party,. Christine Elliott, MPP wife of Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, insisted: "I will not allow our party to be burdened by toxic political policies like scrapping the Human Rights Tribunals.'" ( Globe and Mail, June 6, 2009) Frank Klees, another Tory wet, fretted: that "the Tories need to reach out to new Canadians by showing that they care about human rights."
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