BPC Bulletin March 4, 2024

BPC Bulletin: News Roundup (February 2024)

News Reports and Commentary Selected by Franklin Carter of the Book and Periodical Council’s Freedom of Expression Committee.

Today I present five unrelated stories about censorship and free expression in Canada.

MONTREAL, QUEBEC

Phoebe Maltz Bovy and Avi Finegold, co-hosts of the Bonjour Chai podcast, talk to Emil Sher, the writer in residence at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal, about censorship and the freedom to read:

Beyond banned books: Dissecting the controversies at the Jewish Public Library (thecjn.ca)

Thanks go to Gillian O’Reilly who forwarded this podcast.

EDMONTON, ALBERTA

Brandi Morin, a journalist of Indigenous ancestry, has won this year’s Freedom to Read Award. The Writers’ Union of Canada presents the award.

She was arrested, detained and charged on January 10 while covering a police raid on a homeless encampment in Edmonton.

CBC Books reports:

Journalist and writer Brandi Morin wins 2024 Freedom to Read Award | CBC Books

CALGARY, ALBERTA

Calgary police are investigating after books about sexual minorities were returned “with significant damage” to the Calgary Public Library on February 15.

In the Calgary Herald, Scott Strasser reports:

Pride-themed library books returned with 'significant damage': police | Calgary Herald

Thanks go to Dr. Alvin Schrader who forwarded this news report.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO

The Ottawa Public Library released a report about challenges to six books and one DVD.

Challenged titles include Tintin in America (in French and English) and The Menu.

William Eltherington of CTV News reports:

Here are the contested books at the Ottawa Public Library in 2023 | CTV News

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY CANADA

Dr. Sandro Galea writes about the importance of fostering free expression, respect and inclusion to improve society:

Supporting Free Speech in a Divided Moment | Psychology Today Canada

The Book and Periodical Council was formed in 1975 as the Book and Periodical Development Council to provide a venue for members to discuss industry issues, address mutual concerns and undertake projects for the benefit of Canadian writing and publishing.

Why I will no longer post on Elon Musk’s X

The Guardian’s decision earlier this week to stop posting on X finally prompted me to take the same step, one I have been contemplating for some time. Whereas the decision of the Guardian, which has 27-million followers, is consequential, my decision (with my 1,018 followers) is not. Still, for me, it is important to dissociate myself from what Musk has made of X.

What If Kids Had Charter Rights? Surprise! They Have.

One of the questions I always enjoyed asking school kids is, “To whom does the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms apply?” While there are many possible answers, one that I like to hear is that the Charter is about the relationship between governments and the people who live in Canada. In other words, it applies to all of us.

A concept of peaceful assembly under s.2(c) of the Charter

Courtesy of the Rouleau Commission I developed a late-onset interest in freedom of peaceful assembly (FPA) and s.2(c) of the Charter. Since then it has been an ongoing concern to me that in more than forty years s.2(c) has not received an authoritative interpretation, much less been considered or discussed in any depth by the Supreme Court of Canada.