Censorship

Supporters of the recently enacted bubble zone by-law in Toronto argue that the law is necessary to protect individuals, who are entering and leaving places such as synagogues and religious schools, from harassment and intimidation by protestors. While very little was said in these debates about the protection of “captive audiences” from speech they find objectionable, this concern is, I think, implicit in the claim that the speech of protestors, and more particularly pro-Palestinian protestors, is harmful. 

In the small town of Valleyview, Alberta, social conservatives are campaigning to rid the public library of books about sexual minorities.The campaign received Canada-wide attention on February 7, 2025, when CBC News publicized the results of a major investigation.But the struggle between the social conservatives and their critics has not ended. The mayor and town council still have plans to reduce library funding, shut down the current library, and open a smaller public library in a K–12 school that has not been built.REPORTAGE

Bänoo Zan, an Iranian-born poet in Toronto, has won the Freedom to Read Award of the Writers’ Union of Canada.PRESS RELEASEThe Writers’ Union of Canada announces the award:Poet and Presenter Bänoo Zan Wins Freedom to Read Award | The Writers' Union of CanadaREPORTAGEIn Quill & Quire, Cassandra Drudi reports:

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.