Barbara's Hall of shame

Ontario Human Rights Commission, and its 'commissar' have lost their way

By CHRISTINA BLIZZARD, SUN MEDIA

Last Updated: 11th February 2009, 4:54am

There is irony that controversial author Mark Steyn made the trip from New Hampshire to Toronto to call for the dismantling of the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

It's a more than just a long drive from a state whose official motto is, "Live Free or Die." You have to change gears in your mindset.

In this province's oppressive nanny state, we still have the right to free speech -- so long as what you're saying is rubber-stamped by OHRC "commissar" (Steyn's word, not mine) Barbara Hall.

Last year Hall commented on a Maclean's article by Steyn, "The future belongs to Islam." Responding to a complaint by the Canadian Islamic Congress, Hall stated, correctly, the OHRC has no jurisdiction to hear the case. Then she went on to condemn Steyn and Maclean's for Islamophobia.

Steyn was as scathing as ever when he spoke to a committee on government agencies here on Monday.

He described some recent ludicrous OHRC rulings as, "incompatible with a free society."

Of course he is right. And once you allow the Halls of the world to define the limits of freedom of speech, you are heading down a slippery slope. It is vigourous debate that makes a free and civilized society, not timid censorship.

Steyn pointed out the "sham" of the OHRC, when it is shamefully silent about so-called "honour killings." Young women are murdered for not conforming to oppressive cultural restrictions on women. But a journalist with an opinion? Oh, my. Can't have that.

I asked Hall for her response. In a telephone interview, she made some astounding comments.

First, she said, the OHRC has two roles -- a judicial one and one that comments on issues such as the articles. So she was perfectly within her mandate.

"We said the complaint process doesn't apply here.

HARMFUL STEREOTYPES

"We find this series of articles to promote stereotypes and that's harmful and we would like the media to think more about the impact on people of what they write," she said.

Well, sorry. The role of the media is to report, review, criticize, comment. If sometimes we hurt people's feelings, well, oops. This is still a semi-free society.

It was her response to Steyn's criticism of OHRC's silence on honour killings that shocked me.

"There are thousands of things that happen in the province of Ontario on a daily basis and we don't comment on all of them," she said.

But, I spluttered, women are being murdered.

"As I said, we are a small commission.

"There are many problematic things that happen in our community and we have to make choices because we can't respond to everything," Hall said.

So honour killings are merely "problematic"?

Here's a woman who's advocated for years on behalf of women's rights. She found time to crucify Steyn and Maclean's, but she's too busy to raise the issue of women who are being murdered over some hideous interpretation of "honour"?

I wouldn't go as far as Steyn in calling for an end to the OHRC. I think there is an important role for it to mediate in cases where people are refused accommodation based on the colour of their skin or where they didn't get a job based on their age or gender.

The human rights system in this province cost $17.6 million this year. The government needs to find savings in its next budget.

Cut it in half. Get back to basics -- and get out of the censorship business.