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Levant Acquitted after Republishing Letter by Pastor Previously Found to Be “Hate Speech”

By John Jalsevac

November 21, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Prominent Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) critic Ezra Levant is crying foul after the Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC) dismissed a complaint brought against him for publishing the same letter for which Alberta pastor Steve Boissoin was found guilty of hate speech in late 2007.

The complaint was filed by Edmonton-based homosexual activist and member of the Gay, Lesbian and Transgendered Pride Center of Edmonton, Rob Wells. Wells, who has also in the past filed complaints against Catholic Insight and the Christian Heritage Party, accused Levant of hate speech for republishing Boissoin’s letter, in which the pastor expressed his disapproval of the homosexualist agenda. The letter was originally published in the Red Deer Advocate.

Levant republished the document on his highly popular blog as an act of protest, following the Alberta tribunal’s decision against the pastor. At the time Levant challenged the CHRC to prosecute him for publishing a letter that the tribunal had previously found to be “likely to incite hatred” against homosexuals.

The Alberta commission, however, has now dismissed the complaint. But Levant is claiming that there is no reason why he should have been let off the hook while Boissoin was forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars on lawyer’s fees, and was fined $7,000, ordered to apologize to the complainant in the case and to never again publicly speak about his views on homosexuality.

In a letter sent to Levant’s lawyers, secretary to the Commission Lucie Veillette wrote, “The Commission is of the view that the Respondent is posting this article with the goal of furthering a public debate on freedom of expression.” Hence, she writes, “the file on this matter has now been closed.”  (See: http://ezralevant.com/CHRC%20third%20complaint%20dismissal.pdf )

Levant, however, claims that the Commission’s decision is arbitrary and provides further evidence of its inconsistent methods, in particular its bias against conservatives and Christians. As Levant, who is a Jew, observes, “In the entire history of section 13, stretching back to 1977, not one single Jew, Muslim or gay has been taken before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal by the CHRC.”

Instead, he says, “100% of the CHRC's targets have been white, Christian or conservative.”

Section 13 is the section of the Human Rights Act that deals with “hate crimes.” Over the years numerous Christians and conservatives have been prosecuted under this section, including Steve Boissoin, Bishop Fred Henry, Scott Brockie, Fr. Alphonse de Valk, and many others. Most of these individuals have come into conflict with homosexualists by defending traditional Christian teaching on sexual ethics.

Levant claims that in dismissing the complaint the CHRC “came up with a pretend excuse. I was let go because, they said, I had the ‘goal of furthering a public debate.’”

“Of course,” Levant continued, “that's exactly the goal Rev. Boissoin had. And Lynch convicted him.”

On his blog today Levant once again republished Rev. Boissoin’s letter to the editor, making clear that in doing so he has no intention of furthering any public debate, but rather that he is doing so “as a personal insult to (Canadian Human Rights Commission Chief Commissioner) Jennifer Lynch.”

Levant concludes, “It's legal for a Jew like me to publish [Boissoin’s letter]. It's illegal for a Christian like Rev. Boissoin to publish it. That's sick.”

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