Hey Steve Ashton, you’re an idiot!

This has been cross-posted to the Western Standard Blog; The Shotgun.


Hey Steve Ashton, you’re an idiot!

For making such a statement, Steve Ashton would have me put in jail.

Since Gary Doer has decided to step down as Premiere of Manitoba and as leader of the NDP Party, his replacement will automatically become the new Premiere of Manitoba. Regrettably, most voters get no say in who will run the Provincial Government, and the choice that NDP party members have is down to 2, Steve Ashton and Greg Selinger.

Ashton has said that if he becomes Premiere he will introduce one of the most disgusting, sick laws that I have ever seen.

NDP leadership candidate Steve Ashton wants to introduce a law that would make racist or other derogatory comments or behaviour an offence.

Ashton said "one of his first acts" if elected leader, and thus premier, would be to introduce what he calls the Dignity Act.

"I want to see Manitoba become a model for human rights," Ashton said. "We want a zero tolerance approach to racism and other forms of discrimination."

Ironically, Ashton wants to see Manitoba become a model for human rights, by violating human rights. Perhaps he is not familiar with the term “freedom of expression”. Here, I will remind him.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms


2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

• (a) freedom of conscience and religion;
• (b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

Yes, you are free to be a racist, because those are your thoughts in your own head, that cannot be taken away even by force. And yes, you are free to express your sick, racist thoughts in whatever communicative means you decide to use; the internet, protest, standing on the street corner, etc.

Not only speech will be targeted though, any perceived undesirable actions will be.

Tuesday, he said if becomes premier he will advance a "dignity bill" to combat racism.

The legislation would ensure governments, workplaces and public establishments worked toward zero tolerance for discriminatory, demeaning or racist actions.

I could think of a number of ways that those terms could be interpreted, they are vague. It could include writing a blog that criticizes First Nations leaders, joining certain organizations, speaking out against the government etc.

Zero tolerance of nearly anything is a bad idea, it allows you to shut off your brain and not use any critical thinking skills to judge individual actions and circumstances as they should be judged, individually.

Legislation often expands from its original intended purpose, and while it may have one purpose in the legislative, the enforcement branch of government might not interpret it the same way. There is no way to tell how invasive a “Dignity Law” like this would become.

Freedom of expression is not to be repressed by the government; that is in their own rules. This includes unpopular speech, which is what really needs protection, since many people won’t object to popular speech.

Steve Ashton is bad news, and I would not pay his fines that he would impose on me for saying what I want. And as a result, I would be taken off to jail, for expressing myself. Hello North Korea.