Claims extracted
26
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
31%
8 of 26 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans strongly left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
60/100
National Post's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
A British Columbia regulator has withdrawn a caution letter sent to a realtor, accusing him of engaging in professional misconduct for posting his political opinions on social media.
asserted
regulator → withdraw → media
This decision ought to be a reminder to professionals across the country that, although they do need to be careful when they offer their opinions, they do not give up their free speech entirely when they join a profession.
asserted
they → need → profession
On June 22, the B.C. Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) sent Corbin Chivers a caution letter in response to two posts he made on Instagram.
asserted
he → send → Instagram
In the letter, the BCFSA called Chivers’ comments “polarizing,” “inflammatory” and “discriminatory,” and cautioned that his words could bring the real estate industry into disrepute.
uncertain
words → call → disrepute
It suggested Chivers could be disciplined if he made more such posts in the future.
uncertain
he → suggest → future
This was a clear attempt to censor him.
asserted
This → censor → him
The posts in question were critical of policy related to Indigenous peoples, but they clearly didn’t constitute professional misconduct.
asserted
they → relate → misconduct
The first post said: “Bands are chasing endless land claims on top of the cash handouts, demanding compensation and control without any end in sight.
uncertain
end → say → sight
This isn’t fairness … it’s the opposite of reasonable treatment.
asserted
it → ’ → treatment
“Worse, they’re the ones blocking major resource projects across the country, killing off billions in potential revenue.
asserted
they → ’re → revenue
They demand the money but sabotage the very developments that could generate it to pay them.”
uncertain
that → demand → them
The second post was made regarding the decision to close Joffre Lakes Provincial Park to non-Indigenous visitors.
asserted
post → make → visitors
It stated: “Wrong skin colour?
asserted
It → state → colour
Making space for political debate is one of the fundamental reasons the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of expression.
asserted
Charter → make → expression
They may be offensive to some people, but the Supreme Court of Canada has said that there is no right not to be offended in Canada.
uncertain
Court → say → Canada
We simply can’t govern ourselves peacefully if those in power, including state-empowered regulators like the BCFSA, can shut down speech because some find it offensive.
asserted
it → govern → speech
After Chivers retained my organization, the Canadian Constitution Foundation, the BCFSA wrote to confirm that the letter has been withdrawn, and that it will not form part of Chivers’ record.
asserted
it → retain → record
Of course, this could have gone the other way, had it made it in front of the wrong judge.
uncertain
it → go → judge
Readers may recall that the College of Psychologists of Ontario ordered Jordan Peterson to take a re-education course after he called the actor Elliot Page “her” and used Page’s birth name; called then-Ottawa city councillor Catherine McKenney an “appalling self-righteous moralizing thing,” called Gerald Butts a “prik” and referred to a plus-sized Sports Illustrated model as “not beautiful.”
All of Peterson’s comments were within the realm of offensive but not hateful political speech and therefore not the type of speech that can be limited under Canadian law.
uncertain
that → recall → law
Yet, according to the Divisional Court decision by Judge Paul Schabas, the panel did not “prevent Dr. Peterson from expressing himself on issues of interest to him and his audiences,” but rather was “focused on concerns over his use of degrading or demeaning language.”
uncertain
panel → accord → language
Are we to assume Peterson would not have faced the wrath of the regulator if he had found slightly less offensive ways of expressing his opinions of these people?
asserted
he → assume → people
I have my doubts.
asserted
I → have → doubts
The only way to really prevent this is for governments to pass legislation blocking regulators from censoring speech, like Alberta did with its Regulated Professions Neutrality Act.
asserted
Alberta → prevent → Act
For now, professionals clearly still need to be careful.
asserted
professionals → need → ?
But Chivers’ success getting the BCFSA to back down is a reminder that they still retain some degree of freedom of speech.
asserted
they → get → speech
Josh Dehaas is interim litigation director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a charity dedicated to defending Canadians’ rights and freedoms.
asserted
Dehaas → dedicate → rights
The Aporia
