Poilievre Defends Freedom of Speech in Light of Jordan Peterson’s Latest Ordeal

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period in Ottawa on Sept. 20, 2022. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

The ability to speak freely in Canada is what distinguishes the country from dictatorships, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre said in a video released on Jan. 6 which addresses the levying of potential sanctions against psychologist and author Jordan Peterson for his views shared online.

“It should go without saying that in a free country, professionals should not lose their jobs and licenses because they express a political opinion contrary to the licensing body that’s mandated by the government,” Poilievre said.

The College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO) has told Peterson he must undergo re-training to “address issues regarding professionalism in public statements.”

Peterson said if he doesn’t cooperate he could face a disciplinary tribunal and risk losing his license, and he has now filed an application for judicial review with the Ontario Divisional Court.

The complaints against Peterson relate in large part to his comments on Twitter, with one about his reposting of a Poilievre tweet.

“COVID has become a never-ending excuse for power-hungry authorities to replace our freedom with their control. Enough. Reopen our businesses, let our truckers drive & restore freedom for all,” Poilievre wrote on Jan. 23.

This was a few days after the federal government and the U.S. imposed a vaccine mandate on truckers at the border and before the Freedom Convoy arrived in Ottawa to protest the measure.

“Enough. Enough COVID mandates. Drop the damn masks and the idiot rules and get on with life. Today,” wrote Peterson in response on Jan 24.

Poilievre said in his video that his “liberal critics in the media” would use his comments on Peterson’s case to claim that he’s aligned 100 percent with his opinions but he said it isn’t the case.

“I’m sure there is something he’s posted that I do object to, but that is not the point because freedom of speech only matters when you disagree,” he said.

“And that’s what distinguishes Canada, a free country, from dictatorships.”

Poilievre said that due to “cancel culture” and the “woke movement,” people are increasingly at risk of losing their jobs or their status as the ideology spreads in university campuses, the media, and “now increasingly big, powerful corporations.”

“I don’t believe that is the Canada we want.”

The Conservative Party Leader had told Canadians on the right of the political spectrum to get involved in all spheres of society to displace the “woke left” in a video address for the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24.

Peterson’s run-ins with the CPO follow other attempts to curtail his views, including a suspension under the previous Twitter administration, a rescinding of his fellowship at Cambridge University, and disruption of his public lectures by protesters.