Friday, February 20, 2009

Tory MP Brad Trost On HRCs

Canada’s Human Rights Commissions do not protect the rights of most Canadians. I for one think if major reforms cannot be accomplished, we need to consider abolishing these parodies of justice.

I see this as being in line with other recent Tory tactics, for example the O Canada uproar. They've lost everybody but the base, and so they will pander to the base.

As to the particular situation Trost references:

For many years in Cornwall, letter carriers would greet each other with the expression: “Merci Seigneur pour la belle journee” (Thank you Lord for the beautiful day) –a friendly greeting reflecting the francophone culture of the region.

Now both Canada Post management and apparently, the postal workers union, have forbidden the greeting. Why was this greeting forbidden? Someone complained to the Human Rights Commission because others were Thanking the Lord before starting their rounds to deliver mail. Canada Post has cracked down on an innocent greeting.

1) The ban applies to two employees, not the whole lot, and this for the disrespectful manner in which the phrase was deployed. The rest can pray all they want.

2) It doesn't look like HRCs were involved in the first place. Most of the stories on the topic, for example this one, refer to it as an internal complaint worked out between union and management. Only this very early piece from the Standard Freeholder refers to an HRC. So, no matter what you think of the ban in the 1st place, it seems Mr. Trost has fingered the wrong culprit.

1 comment:

Mike said...

A Tory MP lying? Say it isn't so?

Really, you should expect it when they open their mouth.