I havesomeveryradicalsuggestions, I wouldsay, which I amnotputtingforthlightly.
I thinkthatitistimeforpublicschoolstudentsandtheirparentstoactivelyrebelagainsttheindoctrinationthatisbeingofferedintheguiseofeducation.
Butbeforesuch a recommendationcanbereasonablyofferedorconsideredbyitsrecipients, somecarefulargumentationandreviewofrecenteventsisinorder.
Sopleasebearwithmewhile I walkthroughthatprocess.
It's importanttogetthesethingsrightandnottorush.
About a yearago, actually, onSeptember 27th 2000 and 16 I made a seriesofvideos.
Oneofthemcriticized a newpieceoffederallegislationbillsee, 16 Bill C 16 is, and I'm readingthisdirectlyfromthegovernmentwebsiteandacttoamendtheCanadianHumanRightsActandtheCriminalCode.
Andyouclearlysetoutthatevidencethatanoffensewasmotivatedbybias, prejudiceorhatebasedongenderidentityorexpressionconstitutesanaggravatingcircumstancethat a courtmusttakeintoconsiderationwhenitimposes a sentence.
Nowyoumaynoticeoncarefulreadingthattheactmodifiesthecriminalcodetoclearlysetoutthatevidencethatanoffensewasmotivatedbybias, prejudiceorhateextendsthepurviewofwhatmightconstitutehateto a degree, that's, I think, completelyunacceptable.
I saidthatthereweretwofundamentaldangerstothisbill.
OnewasthatbecausetheonTerryHumanRightsCommissionis a radicalanddangerousorganizationbentonproducingthemostpunitivepossiblepoliciesinthepursuitofitsradicalneoMarxistpostmodernagenda, thatthelegislationwouldintroducethepossibilityofpersecutionor, let's say, prosecutionforsocalledoffensesthatshouldneverbeconsideredwithintheproperdomainoflegalprosecutionNow.
I alsoobjectedtothemannerinwhichtherelationshipbetweenbiologicalsex, genderidentity, genderexpressionandsexualorientationwaswrittenintotheOntarioHumanrightscommissionspoliciesandthereforeessentiallyintothelaw, pointingoutthatthelawnowdemandsthatweconsiderthosefourdifferentphenomenaasessentiallyindependentwhentheyareinfactverytightlycausallylateandaswellthattheclaimthat's beingmadebothimplicitandexplicit.
Thatthosefoursetsofphenomenadifferwithineachstrataas a consequenceofsocialization, infactisalsowrong, butalsounderminestheprimaryargumentsthattranssexualpeopleandgaypeopleusedtobuttresstherealityoftheouridentity.
Namely, thattheyhave a biologicalproclivitythatdirectsthemtowardssuchidentities, expressionsandorientations.
I pointedallofthosethingsoutandthatwewereindangeroflegislatingcompelledspeechinrelationshiptopreferredpronounce, whicharethepronounsthatpeoplewhoveryintheirgenderidentity, hypotheticallywanttousetobereferredto.
I pointedoutthatwewereindangerofmakingcompelledspeechsomethingrequiredinCanada, sothatforthefirsttimeinourhistoryandinthehistoryoftheBritishCommonlaw, thegovernmentwouldbeabletolegislatethecontentofyourspeech, whichisquitedifferentthanlegislatingwhatyoucan't say, whichisalreadysomethingthat's verydangerous.
Thereare a varietyofconsequencesofmakingthisvideo, whichweremuchmoredramaticthan I presumetheymightbe.
Although I didknowthatBillSee 16 posed a genuinethreattotheintegrityofourstatenow.
Thefirstconsequencewasthat a verylargenumberoffacultymembersattheUniversityofTorontodecidedthat I hadmadethecampusanunsafeplacebymystatementsandpetitionedtheuniversitytodosomethingaboutthat.
Andthentherewere a numberofdemonstrations.
AndthentheUniversityofTorontosentmetwoletterstellingmethat I wasviolatingtheirpoliciesandprobablythelawinOntario, whichwassomething I hadwarnedabout, bytheway, becausethelawwaswritteninsuch a dismalmannerandoverinclusivemannertoensurethatevencriticizingitcouldbeprosecutedunderitsguidelines, let's say.
Andthentherewas a debatethattheuniversityheldwheredefendersofBillSee 16 insistedthat I wasalltheterriblethingsthat I hadbeencalledandthat I wasmisinterpretingthebillandthatthedangersthat I foresawas a consequenceofitsimplementationwouldnevermanifestthemselvesratherthantoaddresshimselftothescientificevidenceconcerninggenderidentityandexpression.
AndbyadoptingrhetoricalstrategiesmorecommontoBreitbartnewsdotcomthan a universityprofessor's lecture, DrPetersongoesontodiscredittheveryconstructsonpoliticalgroundsinsteadofongroundsprovidedbyscholarlyevidencethattheseconstructsareinnoparticularorderleftist, radicalandpoliticallycorrect.
Butandthetruthofthematterwasthat I amnoneofthosethingsandthat I hadreadthebillanditssurroundingpoliciesextremelycarefullyandwhat's worse, actuallyunderstoodthemandthatwhat I haddonewasmerelycommunicatemyunderstanding.
And I wouldsaymyproper, anaccurateunderstandingofthebillto a publicthatwasactuallyquitewillingtotakethetimetoinvestigatetheissueandfollowitcarefully.
Thepressinitiallywasveryambivalenttowardsme.
ButassomeoftheleadingjournalistsinCanada, includingChristie, Blatchford, Antonella, aretoosoandeventuallyConradBlackandalsoMargaretwentearly, listentothevideosthat I hadmadeitandthenactuallyreadthatpoliciesinquestion.
Theyunderstoodthatthebilldidinfactpose a threat, justfreespeechinthemannerthat I haddescribedandcameoutverystronglyonmyside.
Now I havesomesympathyforthefactthat I wastarredwith a varietyofepithetsimmediatelyafterhavingmadethevideo, because I waswarningthattherewassomethingnotgoodgoingoninCanada, andwheneveranybodywarrantsthat, youshouldbeskepticalofthembecauseCanadahasbeen a verystableandwellfunctioningstatefor a verylongperiodoftime.
Butthetruthofthematteristhat I wasandamnoneofthosethings.
I wasfortunatebecausetherewasevidencethatthatwasthecase.
I havevideotapedvirtuallyeverything I'vesaidtostudentsintheentire 25 yearsofmyuniversitytenure, andsoeverythingthat I thoughtwas a matterofpublicrecordand I hadposteditonYouTubeintheformofhundredsoflectures.
Now, theothertacticemployedbythepeoplewhohaveBeanunhappyaboutwhat I havebeensayingistooassumedthat I'm anallrightoreven a farrightfigure, whichisonaccusationthathasbeenleveledatmemanytimesinthelastyear.
Andthere's also a reasonforthat.
Thereasonforthatisthatthegroupofpeopletotherightoftheradicalleftis a verylargegroup.
AnditincludeseveryonefromSocialists, say, oftheclassic 19 seventiestypeallthewaytothemostfarrightNazisimaginable, whoareallunitedintheiroppositiontotheradicalleftagendaandthusformwhatyoumightdescribeas a groupbydefault.
Now, thefactthatsomeofthemembersof a groupbydefaultareunsavorycharactersdoesnotdemonstratethatallofthemembersofthatgroupareofthattype.
And I wouldalsosay, muchmoregratifyingtoaninnersenseofresentmentandvengefulnesstomerelytareveryonewhodoesn't agreewiththesamebrushandtheargumentbedamned.
Thisbringsustothemostfundamentalreasonwhytherehasbeansuchvociferousoppositiongeneratedinrelationshiptowhat I'vebeensaying, andthat's because I gottheinterpretationofBillSee 16 anditssurroundingpoliciesandthepernicious, postmodernneoMarxistdoctrinethatgaverisetoit, essentiallycorrect.
AtWilfredLaurierUniversityrecently, a teachingassistantnamedLindseyShepherdfoundherselfinhotwaterbecauseshehadthetemeritytoplay.
A videoclipfromTVowestheagendaintheclassthatshewaschargedwith.
Conductedas a consequenceofplayingthevideoclip, shewasbroughtinfrontof a disciplinarypanelconsistingofthreeindividuals.
Nathan, RamboCana, HerbertPimlottandAdria.
JoelRambo.
CanaandPimlottareprofessorsinthecommunicationsdepartmentatWilfredLaurierUniversity, andAndreaJoelisanadministratorwhowashiredas a consequenceoflegislationintroducedbyKathleenWynnetoconductexactlythesortofdisciplinaryinvestigationthatshesatinon.
Now.
LindseyShepherdhadthepresenceofmindandthefeartotapethedisciplinaryhearing, andafterthestoryaboutwhathadhappenedwasreleased, Lindsayreleasedtheentireaudiotapeandcaused a nationalandinternationalscandal.
Itwouldbeinterestedtoseetheoriginalcomplaintforcomplaintsbecause, like, I don't reallyhaveanycontextlikewhatexactly?
Theirproblemwas?
Sorry.
Sorrytodrop.
Could I justaskyouanythingtojustprovideuswith a story?
Yeah, I justliketohearthewholelikeyourwood.
What?
What?
WhattookplacesoifyoujustgiveusYeah, Andthenandthensorry, but I justfeelthat I'm justsittinginYeah.
Okay, So, um, wayhavetoteachaboutgrammar.
AndinthePearsonbook, therewas a sectionaboutpronounsandusing, like, genderlanguage, so I wantedtomakeitmoreengaging.
Sowhat I didisweweretalkingabout, um, inpapers, usinghey, as I was, like, a singular.
Andthentocontextualizethat I broughtuplike a YouTubedebate.
SodebatewithbothsidesduringPetersonsides, andthisfellownamedNicholasMattwhoisalso a profit, UTandtheydidyouhave a nameofyou?
ItwasfromtheagendawithStevePagan.
What's in a name?
Potentially a greatdeal.
UniversityofTorontopsychologyprofessorJordanPetersonhas a fightonhishandsafterobjectingtoproposelegislationthathesayswouldviolatehisfreedomofspeechbyforcinghimtoaddresstransgenderpeopleusingthepronounsoftheirchoosing.
Weappreciateeverybodybeingontheprogramforwhatis, I think, oneofthehottesttopicsinthecountrytoday.
ProfessorPeterson, andit's allbecauseofyou.
And I thinkbeforewegoanyfurtherwithourconversationhere, I wanttogivepeople a senseofhowhotthishasgot, startingonthedowntowncampusoftheUniversityofToronto.
Well, asyoucanseethatyourownit's a freespeecharecapableofmaking a Lord's inarticulatenoise.
Approximatereasonswasbecause I receivedsomecorrespondentsfromfromfromclientsofminewhohadbean, I wouldsay, persecutedin a varietyofwaysbypeoplewhowerepoliticallycorrect.
AndtheysentmesomedocumentationaboutBillSee 16 andtheAssociatedPolicyStatementsontheonTerrorHumanRightsCommission, which I readandwasnotveryhappyabout.
Um, andalsobecausetheUniversityofTorontodecidedtomakeantiracismandantibiastraining, socalledantiracismandantibiastrainingmandatory, which I regardedasaninappropriateincursionintothedomainofpoliticalopinionbytheuniversityadministration.
Yeah, well, therearelotsofplacesnowwheretheworkplacehasbecome, I wouldsay, excessivelypoliticized.
Andsopeoplewhohaveviewpointsandthisalsoinvolvesincludes, I wouldsay, fairlyradicalleftist, fewpoints.
Peopledon't feelcomfortableatallinbeingabletousethelanguageoftheirchoiceortohaveevenopinionsabout a varietyofdifferentthings.
Essentially, I guesswhat I'm askingistolaythecase.
Whatwhatisityoufindoffensiveaboutthislegislation?
Well, fundamentally, thereweretwothingsthatreallybotheredme, althoughtherehavebeenotherthings I'vethoughtaboutsinceonewasthat I wasbeingasked, aseveryoneis, touse a certainsetofwordsthat I thinkaretheconstructionsofpeoplewhohave a politicalideology, that I don't believeitandthat I alsoregardisasdangerousoneofthosewords, thoseairthemadeupwordstothatthatpeoplenowdescribeasasgenderneutral.
Andsotome, there, there, therethey'reanattempttocontrollanguageandin a directionthatisn't happeningorganically.
It's nothappeningnaturally.
Peoplearen't pickingupthesewordsinthetypicalwaythatnewwordsairpickedup, butbyforceandbyfiat, and I wouldsaybyforce, becausethere's legislativepowerbehindthem.
So I don't likethesemadeupwords Z andTzarandthatsortofthing.
Youknowthatthisis a consequenceofwhat I'vedone, and I don't thinkthat's true.
It's a it's a consequenceofthefactthat I thoughtaboutit, and I thinktherightmetaphoristhatyouknowthere's a largeforestandit's being a hot, drysummerormaybe a drought, andthere's plentyofDeadwoodgatheredand I lit a spark.
Well, I don't wanttogiveyoutheopportunitytospeaktowhetherornotyouare a transformer.
Well, I cantellyouthat I'vereceivedmorelettersfromtranssexualpeoplesupportingmethanopposingme, and I neversaidanythingreallyabouttranssexualpeopleabouttheirexistence.
Althoughthatwasthefirstthingthat I wasaccusedofdoing.
I didn't saythattranssexualpeopledidn't exist.
I saidthatgenderidentity, genderexpressionandbiologicalsexdonotveryindependently, whichtheydon't andsoon.
So, underthat, um, itdoesJoynerviolenceofjustincludesexualviolence, butitalsoincludescharmingfolksbasedongender s O.
ThatincludestransferLeahbiphobia, homophobia, allthosesortsofthings I protectedunderthepolicyuntilthosearethingsthatLorihasupheldasvaluesaswellastheinteriorhumanrightscoat.
Like I mean, ifthere's reallyideasthatareexistingouttherelikethat, then I mean, look, thethingislike, I don't seewhat's transphobicaboutshowing a videoduringPeterson.
He's a realperson.
He's thathe's outthere.
He's a realperson, buthe's a realpersonwhohasn't agedintargetedbehaviorthatoharetargetingofTransstudentsinparticular, likelikebasicallydocksingthemifyouknowtheterm, likegivingouttheirpersonalinformationsothattheywillbeattacked, harassedsothatdeaththreatswillfindthem, there's somethingthathehasdonetohisownstudentshasdonetheotherstudentson.
Shesaid, I believeitistimeforsomeclarityaroundtheeventsofthepastfewweekshere, a TTEWilfredLaurierUniversitystemmingfromtheveryregrettablemeetingthatfollowedtheshowingof a TVOhclipby a teachingassistantduring a tutorial.
I'llput a linktowhereyoucanreadtheuniversitypresident's entireresponsetothedisciplinarymeetinginquestion.
NowthisishowDebraMcClatchysumsthesituationupforthosewhohavechosentousethisincidentasanindictmentofWilfredLaurieUniversityortheplightofCanadianuniversitiesingeneral, I sayyourassertionisunreasonableandunfounded.
Well, thatreallyisthequestion, isn't it?
Wasthis a uniqueoccurrenceconsequenceofthemisbehavior, shallwesayoftoillinformedprofessorsandanadministrator?
I wouldliketopointoutthattheeventsthereweremoreseriousandlesspredictableeventhanwhat I hadwarnedabout.
When I mademyoriginalvideo, I assumedthatpeoplewouldbecouldbeprosecutedforfailuretousepreferredpronouns.
And I wasobjectingtothatasahexampleofcompelledspeech.
But I neverimaginedthat a teachingassistantwouldbeaccusedofbreakingprovincialandfederallaws.
BillSee 16 specificallyfordaringtoshow a videoaboutpeoplediscussingsuchissueson a publictelevisionstationandthenalsoaccusedofbeing a transformer, whichis, letitbenotednow a crimeunderthecriminalcodeprovisionofBillSee 16.
I'm goingtostartwith a letterthatwaswrittenby 20 membersoftheDepartmentofCommunicationStudiesatWilfredLaurier, whichisthesamedepartmentthathousesRambo, CanaandPimlott.
Here's whattheyhadtosayaboutthematter.
I'm goingtoparaphrase a meetingwithShepherdwassecretlyrecordedandsenttothemedia.
BuythattaThisactsparkedcolumnsandopEDSthatrushedtoassessthemeetinggeneralizingfromthissingleevent a diagnosisofourprogram, theuniversityandthestateofhighereducationinCanada.
Wewouldsupport a graduatestudentinitiativetounionize T A's, whichcouldprovidestudentemployeeswith a grievanceprocessandotherformsofsupportincasessuchasthisoneasweunderstandit.
DoctorRamboCanadidnotoperateunilaterallywhenhecalled a meetingwithhis t A.
Rather, webelieveheactedinresponseto a disclosuremadebyoneormorestudentstouniversityofficeissetuptoprovideconfidentialsupport.
Uponbeingnotifiedofthisdisclosure, DrRamboKannaascourseinstructor, understoodthathehad a responsibilitytoactinlinewithuniversitypolicies, includingthoselaidoutinthegenderandsexualviolencepolicy.
Notgoingtointerjectherefor a minute.
That's a veryinterestingpointbecausePresidentMcClatchyhasbasicallycomplainedthatRambo, CanaandPimlottandJuleherselfactedoutsidethepoliciesthattheuniversityhasestablished.
However, thefacultymembers, writinginsupportoftheircolleagues, claimthatthereasonthatRambocanandPimlottandJulhaswellactedinthemannertheydidwasbecausetheywerefollowingthosepolicies.
Whilethefreespeechof a singleindividualhasdominateddiscussionssurroundingthissituation, academicfreedomisalso a decisiveterm.
Inthiscontext, DrRamBuchananexercisesacademicfreedomas a coursesupervisorbysettingparametersforthemultipletutorialsthatsupplementhislecture.
Itiswithinthescopeof a supervisingprofessorsacademicfreedomtohaveworkplacemeetingswith D.
A's regardinghowcoarsematerialistaught.
Allright, so I havetointerjectagain.
Itisn't obvioustomethatthismeetingwithShepherdconstituted a normativeworkplacemeetingwith a TAregardinghowcoarsematerialistaut, andthefundamentalreasonforthatistheappearanceatthemeetingoftheadministrator, AdriaJoel, aswellasthenumerousaccusationsthatwerelevelthatshepherd, So I thinkthatthatsentencesdisingenuousatbest.
Werejecteffortsofthosewhohaveseizedthisepisodeas a strategicopportunitytodisparagedisciplinesandscholarswithcommitmentstoimprovingsocialandeconomicequalitywithinuniversitiesandinsocietyatlarge.
Sotherewas a concertedeffortmadebytheneoMarxistpostmodernradicalleftisttypestopaintLindsayShepherdastheperpetratorandthefacultymembersandadministratorwhowereinvolvedinthisissueasthetruevictims.
PerhapsthemostremarkableofsuchcommentsaboutShepherdwasbroadcastonournationalbroadcaster, CBCTVSundayScrum, where a numberofjournalistsVicky, MoShama, JohnIbbotsonandSusanRileywerediscussingpeopleoftheyear.
I wouldalsoencouragecolleaguesatLoriandbeyondtomonitorcarefullyhowthiseventhasbeenframedandtakenup.
I guessthat's exactlywhat I'm doingnow.
WeagreewithLorriespresidentthatweliveinanincreasinglypolarizedworld, understandingtheforcesanddiscontentdrivingthispolarization, includinghowthey'reit, playinthissituationandwithwhatconsequencesis a collectivetaskinwhichweallhave a stake.
And 20 undersigned, facultyandaffiliatemembersoftheDepartmentofCommunicationStudiessignedthis.
W ellyouFAAstandsinsolidaritywith r l G B T Q T communityastheycontinuetobattletheirwaythroughwallsofignoranceandoppression, wallsthatseemtohavebeandisproportionatelyfortifiedinthelastfewweeks.
Now I saidthat I wasspeakingtojuniorhighandhighschoolstudentsatthebeginningofthisvideo, andsofar I'veonlytalkedaboutthestateofouruniversities.
But I'm doingthisinprovidingthisextensivebackgroundbecauseuniversitiesprovidetheteachersforourpublicschoolsaswellasthedestinationplaceforthemostacademicallyableofthestudentswhocomethroughtheschoolsystem.
Thus, beforemakingmyrecommendationswhich I willdowithallseriousness, I havetodocumentmydiscontentthoroughly.
I'm goingtostartwith a fewvideoclipsfeaturingProfessorRenaldoWallCaughtoftheWomenandGenderStudiesInstituteattheOntarioInstitutefortheStudiesofEducation.
I chosetohighlightWallcaughtbecausehe's directoroftheWomenandGenderStudiesInstituteattheArterialInstitutefortheStudiesofEducationandnoisyasit's known, isperhapsthemostinfluentialeducationalinstituteconcernedwithpublicschoolcurriculuminallofCanadaandthereforeanorganizationwhosedecisionsareofcriticalimportancefordeterminingthenatureofwhat's taughtfromkindergartenallthewaythroughhighschool, notonlyinOntariobutbecauseofitsinfluenceallacrossCanadaandperhapsbeyond.
I firmlybelievethatWallCartsattitudeisindicativeoftheideologicalstancethatcharacterizesthephilosophythatistaughttothosewhowillbetheteachersofyoungpeopleinthepublicschoolsysteminCanadafromkindergartenthroughhighschool.
TheincidentsthatWilfredLaurierUniversityhavecertainlyprovoked a debatewithinacademiaandbeyondonfindingthatsweetspotbetweenfreedomofexpressionandrespectingthediversityofthestudentbody.
Okay, so a coupleofthingsoneisthat I takethelong, longviewonthis.
Sowhatwe'reactuallyseeingtodayin 2017 is a longculturalwardhadnewwageintheuniversityinthesixties, whenwomen's studiesand I happentobethedirectorofwomen's studies.
It's about a reframingoftheuniversitywherepeoplelikemyself, indigenouspeople, queerpeoplearemaking a demandonaninstitutionthathadhatedtopreviouslylockedusout.
Andwe'reseeingthatourvoicesmatter, too.
Andwe'resayingthatthewaysinwhichthelanguagesofacademicfreedomoffreeandfreespeechhavebeenframedinthecontextoftheuniversityhasoftenprovidedpathwaysinparticularfor a straightwhitemantosayreallycruel, harmful, hurtfulthingsonwordsdohurt, andnowwe'rerespondingtothat, andwe'resaying, No, thiscan't happen.