The Centre for Innovation Law and Policy and the Constitutional Roundtable

Present

A Panel on the Future of Online Hate Speech Regulation in Canada

Date:                   Thursday, February 26, 2009

Time:         12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Place:        FLC, Flavelle House, 78 Queen’s Park

PANELLISTS:

Richard Moon  (University of Windsor, Faculty of Law) 

Daniel Weinstock (Université de Montréal, Department of Philosophy)

Lorraine Weinrib (University of Toronto, Faculty of Law)

Andrea Slane (University of Toronto, Centre for Innovation Law and Policy)

Description:

In October 2008, Professor Moon released a paper commissioned by the Canadian Human Rights Commission entitled “Report to the Canadian Human Rights Commission Concerning Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Regulation of Hate Speech on the Internet” (available at http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/publications/report_moon_rapport/toc_tdm-en.asp).  Professor Moon will start off the panel by presenting the position he takes in the report, along with the background as to why such a report was called for at this time.  Professor Weinstock will next provide context for these controversies by discussing his work on pluralism in democratic societies.  Professor Weinrib will follow, discussing her views on the centrality of dignity rights based approaches to hate speech regulation and how these differ from offences to religious sensibilities.  Dr. Slane will round out the panel with her comments on the Internet-specific issues at stake.  Each panelist will address how his or her approach to hate speech regulation does or does not fit with Professor Moon’s position in the report.

Lunch will be provided.  Please RSVP to centre.ilp@utoronto.ca so that we can gauge the numbers.  The event is free and open to the public.

Sponsored in part by the Microsoft Information Society Project.