Hope he doesn't hurt anyone's feelings

Freedom of speech? What a concept. Glad it's coming back.

Lindsay Blackett is the minister responsible for Alberta's human rights commission.

He wants the commission to stop playing censor.

He wants to change the law so the commission will no longer investigate complaints from those offended by the opinions of others.

He wants the commission to go back to protecting people against discrimination in jobs, housing and access to facilities and not clamping down on those who make statements another person or persons don't like.

The minister, who is a Calgary MLA and a refreshing voice in the provincial Tory inner circle, says the original protections involve about 96% of the complaints currently made, though those whining about free speech hurting them sure suck up a lot of ink.

"People have the right to say what they believe and Albertans strongly believe in that right," says Lindsay.

"We've got to try and find what was the purpose of the human rights commission to start with back in 1972."

"For me, it's back to the future and the simplicity of what the human rights commissions is supposed to be. It was originally just intended to provide protection against discrimination on grounds of race, colour, creed, religion and so on with respect to employment, accommodation and access to services. That's it."

"It wasn't about hurt feelings. The reason a lot of human rights commissions are disrespected across the country is because they've forgotten that.

"We want the commission to be a quasi-judicial body that has some teeth, that has some credibility but doesn't operate like a kangaroo court."

Until 1996, Albertans, quite rightly, could not publish a notice or sign discriminating against a person or group.

You know, a sign reading: No This Group Or That Group Allowed.

In 1996, in a move echoed across Canada and instigated by those who do not respect human rights, statements and publications were added to the no-go list in this province. You suddenly couldn't say certain things or write certain things "likely to expose a person or class of persons to hatred or contempt."

You could drive a truck through that clause. It is political correctness on steroids. And everyone with an axe to grind was handed a sharpener. So here we are.

It doesn't take long for Lindsay to go into greater details about his feelings on free speech. The man is clearly passionate and he doesn't hold back, a refreshing quality in a politician.

He says he's talked to a lot of folks, from judges and law professors and human-rights advocates to former premier Peter Lougheed, who brought in this province's human rights commission back in 1972.

He has kind words for the Sheldon Chumir Foundation, a group recently recommending the nixing of those portions of current provincial law gagging freedom of speech.

"People shouldn't feel they can't come to Canada, like a university professor who talks about a subject matter and then there are reprisals," says the cabinet minister.

"They should have the ability to say what they say and somebody should have their ability to have the counter argument. That is what a free and open society does. Let's get away from trying to mediate everybody's feelings."

Lindsay talks about being turned down by a girl at a school dance with all his pals watching.

"You feel about two inches tall. I guess maybe I should have taken her to the Human Rights Commission because I had hurt feelings. Where does it end?"

His plans have not been taken to Tory MLAs for a thumbs-up or thumbs-down, but he is preparing and sounds confident.

"We haven't talked about it at caucus or cabinet yet, but I've already gone through a few steps. Generally there's support, the support to make a change and do something and not just sit back and say because it's a tough subject we should stay away from it.

"I don't think provisions for more freedom of speech are a problem. I think people on both sides of the political spectrum appreciate it."

We can hope.

Lindsay adds he believes the Criminal Code of Canada could be toughened up to deal with actual hate crimes.

From the commission, he wants the procedure for legit complaints streamlined.

The right to be protecting against discrimination because of sexual orientation is already read into the law following a Supreme Court ruling in the '90s.

Since the right is protected, Lindsay says he will have to consider putting sexual orientation into the law in plain words when legislation gets a rewrite.

Lindsay does not name a specific time for any amendments, but you sense it will be sooner than later, as in sometime this year.

As with any fight for freedom, it couldn't come soon enough.