THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE FREEDOM PARTY OF ONTARIO DECEMBER 1992 Freedom Party says 'NO' - to Charlottetown Accord 'NO' - to Censorship 'NO' - to Discrimination 'NO' - to Prohibition and 'YES!' - to FREEDOM! N III Crossing the line... Ol <0 Q. N (j) MANDATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS TASK FORCE TO 0' w o CC VIOLATE RIGHTS, SAYS METZ w ~ w... LONDON (Apr. 13, 1992) - In a day-long to their own behaviour. For example, an tarian legislation and trample upon individual :2 o session of discussion and formal presen­ employer may be found guilty of discrimina­ rights and justice. o tations, FP leader Robert Metz and FP tion because the percentage ratio of minority w "So extreme is the avoidance of indivi­ w provincial secretary Robert Vaughan workers he/she has hired is much lower than CC dual justice," argued Metz, "that you would w... found themselves virtually dominating the the percentage ratio of such minorities within day's agenda of the Ontario Human Rights the community from which they were hired. actually entertain the question: 'Should sta­ Code Review Task Force_ Therefore, according to the philosophy of the tistical evidence be accepted as proof of task force, this employer could be declared systemic discrimination without proof of an Despite receiving front-page attention in individual case?' I really have to ask myself guilty of systemic discrimination, and face the LOlldoll Flee Pless and plans to have how an effort supposedly dedicated to the fines and penalties that would be prescribed attendees break up into various informal by a tribunal, and which would be generally reduction of prejudice would be so willing to groups to discuss the contentious issue of immune from any recourse in an objective entertain such a prejudicial point of view. prohibiting systemic discrimination, there court of law. "Prejudice, as defined by the dictionary, were not even enough attendees to form olle discussion group_ At most times throughout is described as 'a judgement or opinion held in disregard of the facts that contradict it' It the day, members of the task force and the o::r DISCRIMINATION? --­ is clear that by this definition, both the Hum31l Rights Commissioll and their OR CHOICE? entourage outnumbered those in attendance_ concepts of systemic discrimination and statistical evidence, which both explicitly In his opening comments to the task The lack of public interest and citizen force, Metz made it clear that "Discrimination deny the relevance of facts in individual input illustrated by the poor participation is, after all, just another word for dlOOSlil{J. cases, are blatantly prejudicial. That is the level is indicative of the actual significance Those denied the right of choice, or those definition of 'systemic' --- a prejudiced way of most Ontarians ascribe to issues of racism, who are forced to make choices against their approaching an individual problem.' discrimination, and prejudice_ As a result, will are those who are having their dignity many may soon find themselves victims of its Worse, the Task Force's 'Issues Paper' and fundamental freedoms violated. " policies. defined the word equality as: "recognizing Metz charged that the Task Force's and accepting differences between people." mandate was to attack Ontarian's freedom of OJ YOU COULD BE GUILTY association as it is outlined in Canada's IP" NOT ABOUT EQUALITY OF 'SYSTEMIC DISCRI­ Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is 9..QYMD.:: MINATION' --- WITHOUT ~ (not private individuals) which should "This is simply not true'" charged Metz. EVEN TRYING! be prevented from discriminating along cer­ "Pick up a dictionary. 'Accepting differences tain criteria, argued Metz, and yet it is the between people' is not equality but At the heart of the Ontario government's government that is doing the discriminating. tolerance. The significance of this definition's ta sk force on systemic discrimination is its focus on differences being used to describe political desire to be able to convict equality, when the dictionary defines equality employers, landlords, and service pro­ OJ HUMAN RIGHTS as 'evelllless, ul7llolmily, dle sl31e Of' qU3/il} viders of discrimination --- without the COMMISSION IS of belilg equ3l'is evidence of an intentional necessity of haying to produce obiective PREJUDICED contradiction of meaning. evidence, or without having to deal with "It is particularly ironic, and somehow discrimination complaints in an obiective In his condemnation of systemic dis­ court of law. Ironically, the government rec­ crimination, Metz made it clear why such a se lf-defeating, that it would be suggested we ognizes that anti-discrimination laws are vir­ law is prejudicial by its very nature. Citing the expend extra energy to 'recognize and tually unenforceable, since basic principles Task Force's definition that 'discrimination is accept differences' when, from the view of of justice require evidellce 31ld ploofbefore not only a matter of intentional incidents trying to minimize discrimination, we should convicting someone of breaking the law. against individuals, but also of unintentional be doing the exact opposite. systemic patterns of discrimination against 'We shouldn't be preoccupying our­ Instead, the Oll13liO Hum31l Rights Com­ groups of people," Metz declared: "Per­ selves with our differences since that is missioll has chosen to investigate the enfor­ sonally, I just do not understand how such a natural, but people choose to associate on ca bility of syslemic discrimination --- discri­ notion could even be entertained --- even as common grounds, common interests, similar mination based on Sl3listics, not on the a joke." interests, parallel objectives --- !Nt on their intent or actual behaviour of a particular employer or landlord in a specific ca se. The task force's mandate is a perfect differences. You don't see people getting illustration of how, through a complete and together and forming a club because they all As a con sequence, empl oyers or lan ­ subjective re-writing of basic definitions, believe in something different; they get dlords could find themselves subject to governments repeatedly get away with totali- together because of their similarities." investigation and charges that are irrelevant ([ASK FORCE " con'e! next pg) (... TASK FORCE from previous pg) [J:J" FORMULA FOR DIVISION: Highlights of Freedom Party's "We have only to look at the tragic divided state of Canada today Address to the Ontario Human JJ with French against English, English against French, each of those "rn Rights Code Review Task Force: rn against Aboriginal groups, East against West, to witness what this o preoccupation with the enforcement of recognizing differences will (The fO//OWlil.q commellts alld recommelldaholls have beel, o ~ do to any society," concluded Metz. excerpled nom Il7e mlilUles of d,e Task Force s h31lSClipts 0, proceedtilgs as Il7ey look place Oil A/.m! 1 ~ 1992.11 Il7e $l7eralol. " rn~ Holel IiI LOlldorl, 01l/3170. RepreSellhll[1 Freedom Party .'II dIe JJ [P- GET THE DETAILS! day-loll[1 evelll were FP leader Robert MelZ alld FP Ontant; o rn Copies of the Task Force's report, Achieving Equality. can Secretary Robert Vaughan.) () be obtained from the address listed under 'Highlights of the CD Vaughan: I\) Ontario Human Rights Code Review Task Force'. Transcripts of the comments made by Metz and Vaughan are available to * "As a private citizen, I would feel more secure and at ease FP members and supporters through Freedom Party. Please having a judge who has experience in making such crucial decisions call or write. See green box on back cover for details. and who has been chosen for his objectivity. I would be more secure in dealing with a judge than with the (Tribunal) Commissioners because I am not sure of their qualifications and why they were chosen by the government." TORONTO DOMINION BANK * "I believe children are inherently non·discriminatory when it EMPLO YMENT EQUITY QUESTIONNAIRE comes to things like race, colour, or creed, and things of that nature. ThIS m'orrna[,on IS held in the strictest confIdence by the Bank's Employment Equity Department II IS only reportee In summary form so thaI no Individual employee IS identified To start talking about discrimination at such a young age I think would • PLEASE COMPLETE BOTH PART A AND PART B • confuse the children, to say the least." PART A: RACIAL HERITAGE PART B: DISABILITY * "If you were to develop a program of education or communica· tion with children regarding discrimination, I think that the political The term "'Jce" refers 10 a group of persons Examples of many disabilllj(~s are listed below. overtones of things like human rights ... and it is a political issue, connected by cemmon descent. Colour is often Some of these conditions may be medically a distingUIshing feature. "Race" does not refer controlled but are slill considered dIsabIlities and an ideological one when it comes to our government ... well, this \0 country of birth, Clllzenship or religiOUS because they are persistent or recurring . belongs in the area of political discussion and these things should be atllhallon Example.. oS-poss lble racial groups Please read the list carelully In the Canadian population are listed below. belore answering the questions kept for those attending, if not university. then the senior grades in Examples of Disabiliti es QUESTION 1: PLEASE CHECK THE BOX high schools." BESIDE THE GROUP TH AT BEST DESCR IBES Visu.al (Examples: legally blind or partially YOUR RACIAL ORIGIN: (Note Examples of sighted). If you wear corrective lenses, thiS IS Metz: natIonalIties are 10 assist you in Idenllfying not normally considered a disability your raCIal onc",) Co-ordination. dexterity, o r mobility * "Repeatedly we see the term 'human rights' used (by th e task o AbOriginal people of Canada (Ex<lmptes (Examples: polio, spinal cord InJUry, 1 Stall"is InCHans, Non-Status IndIans, Metls_ severe back problems, dilflcul1y WIth fine force), although it is never defined in terms of what I would call rights InU it) motor skills, ampulation, need for a cane, crutches, bra ces, wheelchair.