Top court refuses to hear Jordan Peterson's appeal on social media training

The Canadian Press / Jason Franson

Dr. Jordan Peterson will attend social media training, as ordered by his professional body after Canada's top court refused to hear his appeal.

“The court has rejected my appeal regarding the decision of the Ontario College of Psychologists to subject me to indefinite re-education,” Peterson said in a post to X.

UPDATE RE CANADA SUPREME COURT

The court has rejected my appeal regarding the decision of the Ontario College of Psychologists to subject me to indefinite re-education@CPBAOntario

Primarily for publicly opposing the butchers and liars subjecting children to sterilization…

— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) August 8, 2024

Peterson also said he is required to pay “whatever court costs the College accrued in relation to” his appeal.

The governing body for the College told Peterson in 2022 that he was required to undergo a social media training program or risk losing his license to practice. The demand came after they deemed Peterson’s posts “degrading” and questioned his abilities as a psychologist.

Peterson has been an registered member of the College of Psychologists since 1999. He stopped seeing patients in 2017.

Peterson defended his comments and said that his statements were not made in his capacity as a clinical psychologist.

The college’s complaints committee said that Peterson had demeaned a former client of his while on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson refuses to participate in the "re-education program" mandated by the College of Psychologists of Ontario.

"There’s no universe in which that can occur," he told the National Post.https://t.co/H3wDve3ApI

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 19, 2024

Peterson’s lawyer told CBC that the decision marks a “tragic day for Canada.”

Howard Levitt told the public broadcaster that the decision will have a “chilling” impact on Canadians who work in and are members of regulated trades and professions.

"They now have to concern themselves with political and other enemies making complaints to their regulatory bodies over their political comments, with the risk of their ability to practice their trade. Most simply will avoid debate entirely," he wrote.

https://t.co/wd4sAn4xJo

Here is the electronic portal for complaints used by those who levied their accusations against me

It can used by anyone anywhere
For any reason

The College is required to make a determination about the validity of each complaint@CPBAOntario

It is… https://t.co/GlWnU4Pzpe

— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) August 8, 2024

The decision was celebrated by advocacy group Egale Canada, which had intervenor status in the case.

"This is why a clinical psychologist making transphobic, discriminatory and false claims is particularly harmful and directly interferes with trans people's safety and autonomy," legal director Bennett Jensen said in a media statement.

"Psychologists belong to the group of professions that act as gatekeepers to gender-affirming health care, and they must be held accountable to specific standards of professionalism."

Conservative leader of the opposition Pierre Poilievre has spoken out in support of Peterson, calling the case an “outrageous attack on free speech.”