TheQuartering [8/25/2023]
A Canadian court has upheld the sanctioning of Dr. Jordan Peterson by a psychologist governing body that has targeted Peterson for criticizing transgender ideology, climate alarmism, and the Canadian government.
The College of Psychologists of Ontario, which has embraced radical gender theory in recent years, has threatened to remove Peterson’s clinical psychology license over his social media activity if he did not go through a so-called “specified continuing education or remedial program.”
On Wednesday, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ordered Peterson to pay $25,000 to the College of Psychologists and upheld the order that he go through a social media education program.
The organization is not punishing Peterson for any interactions with patients; rather it is censuring, fining, and attempting to “reeducate” him for public comments he made, including on social media and during podcast appearances.
Peterson responded by blasting the court and vowing to make “every aspect” of the case public.
“So the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that [the College of Psychologists of Ontario] can pursue their prosecution,” Peterson wrote. “If you think that you have a right to free speech in Canada, You’re delusional. I will make every aspect of this public. And we will see what happens when utter transparency is the rule. Bring it on.”
Some of Peterson’s supposed offenses, according to the College of Psychologists, include retweeting Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre’s criticism of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, criticizing a former senior Trudeau aide, and expressing opposition to the idea of the Ottawa police taking custody of the children of Trucker Convoy protesters.
Other supposed offenses do not involve direct criticism of the Canadian government, such as Peterson saying on Joe Rogan’s podcast that accepting radical gender theory is a sign of “civilizations collapsing,” calling climate change models unreliable, and criticizing Sports Illustrated for putting a plus-sized swimsuit model on the cover.
In the latest ruling, the court ruled against Peterson’s application to block the forced training, claiming that the College of Psychologists had a compelling public interest in regulating Peterson’s statements.
“I have concluded that the application should be dismissed. In my view, the Decision of the ICRC [Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee] adequately and reasonably considered Dr. Peterson’s statements in the context of the College’s statutory mandate to regulate the profession in the public interest,” wrote Judge Paul Schabas.
Schabas also claimed in the decision that “the order is not disciplinary and does not prevent Dr. Peterson from expressing himself on controversial topics; it has a minimal impact on his right to freedom of expression.”
On Tuesday, prior to the release of the decision, Peterson wrote on X that he stood by his comments.