Waterloo Regional Council approves bylaw cracking down on 'thought crimes' against the Spirit Unicorn Syndicate. Will this outrageous law withstand a constitutional challenge?

There was an Orwellian whiff in the air last Wednesday in Kitchener, Ont., the home of Waterloo Regional Council.

Case in point: council voted in favour of amending Bylaw 13-050. The amended bylaw, which takes effect on January 1, 2024, prohibits “harassing or discriminatory behaviour” and it will apply to all regional property as well as the region’s public transit service.

Translation: anyone making discriminatory statements or gestures or holding signs or even wearing a T-shirt displaying a so-called “discriminatory message” (i.e., “There Are Only 2 Genders”) could be trespassed from Region of Waterloo property and receive a $250 fine.

The bylaw states that such harassment includes (but is not limited to) “unwelcome conduct, comment, bullying, or actions that could reasonably cause offence or humiliation, including conduct, comment, bullying, or actions because of race, religious beliefs, colour, disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or housing status.”

At first blush, this bylaw might seem all encompassing, “protecting” just about everybody from offense. But the unspoken strategy is really to protect members of the Rainbow Mafia from any impolite or insensitive comments, because to paraphrase a line from Animal Farm, all people are equal but LGBT’ers are more equal than others.

Indeed, it was the rank-and-file members of the Spirit Unicorn Syndicate who attended Wednesday’s council meeting who clamoured for this censorious bylaw. Apparently, having one’s feelings hurt is now a criminal matter in the Region of Waterloo.

On the flipside, there were numerous normal, freedom-loving people at the council meeting, too. These delegations argued against this draconian thought crime legislation, but alas, the woke, virtue-signalling tyrants who comprise Waterloo Region were not swayed by arguments in favour of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and many other constitutional freedoms that this council seems to think are unfashionable.

Indeed, in tangible terms, the recent 1 Million March 4 Children demonstration would now be deemed to be an illegal gathering under the bylaw should an LGBT’er determine that a sign or a slogan is offensive to his/her/its sexual orientation or gender identification.

But not only is this bylaw an outrageous and egregious attack on freedom of expression, it would appear that it is unconstitutional as well given that it violates the following sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms: 2a) freedom of conscience and religion; 2b) freedom of expression; 2c) freedom of peaceful assembly; 2d) freedom of association.

Despite the number of individuals speaking out against this outrageous bylaw amendment, we had a feeling that it would pass. That’s because after council members adjourned for a recess, they returned to council chambers only to announce that recording the rest of the council meeting – even by members of the accredited media – was suddenly verboten. Apparently, some of the transgender activists in attendance were camera shy as they clamoured for censorship. Unbelievable.

Check out our report in which we interview Alan Honner, a lawyer with The Democracy Fund, who feels that this deeply flawed bylaw will likely go down in flames if a constitutional challenge is made in a court of law in the months ahead.

Stay tuned…