Poilievre Decries ‘Culture of Censorship’ in Reaction to Court Rejecting Jordan Peterson Appeal

Jordan Peterson, Canadian clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, explains the communist roots of postmodernism during an interview with The Epoch Times on June 15, 2018. (The Epoch Times)

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is criticizing a recent court ruling allowing the Ontario College of Psychologists to impose social media training on Jordan Peterson to retain his professional licence, tying it to a “culture of censorship.”

“Another outrageous attack on free speech as regulators try to force Peterson into a re-education program for expressing the politically-incorrect views,” said Mr. Poilievre in a Jan. 17 post on X (formerly Twitter).

“This is the culture of censorship Trudeau has created and I will reverse.”

In the decision released on Jan. 16, a three-judge panel of the Ontario Court of Appeal rejected Dr. Peterson’s appeal to quash the decision of the Ontario Divisional Court that upheld the order for social media training from the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO).

Mr. Peterson reacted by saying on social media the “war” was only starting. In an op-ed published in the National Post on Jan. 17, he hinted he could go along with the process to “publicize every single bit of it.”

“We’re going to perform that dance on the international stage, with all that light shining on your machinations, and you may well come to rue the day you attempted to take possession of my tongue,” he wrote.

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The Epoch Times contacted the CPO for comment but didn’t hear back.

Legal Battle

Mr. Peterson, who is a professor emeritus in the University of Toronto Psychology department, was ordered by the CPO in November 2022 to undergo a coaching program on professionalism in public statements following a series of online comments by Mr. Peterson it saw as controversial.

The college’s complaints committee concluded Mr. Peterson’s statements in question—which were directed at a plus-sized model, transgender actor Elliot Page, and several politicians—may be “degrading” to the profession and could amount to professional misconduct. A failure to comply would mean the loss of Mr. Peterson’s licence and ability to practice in Ontario.

Mr. Peterson subsequently filed for a judicial review in June, with his lawyers arguing his political commentary is not under the college’s purview, the college did not give enough weight to his right to free speech in their decision, and that the comments were taken out of context.

But the Ontario Divisional Court dismissed his application, ruling that the college’s decision falls within its mandate to regulate the profession in the public interest, and does not impact Mr. Peterson’s freedom of expression. He later appealed the ruling to Ontario’s highest court and lost in the Jan. 16 decision.

Mr. Peterson’s recent appeal was dismissed without the possibility of introducing new evidence.

“I can confirm the Court of Appeal did not grant leave to file fresh evidence,” Jason Gennaro, a spokesperson for the Court of Appeal for Ontario said in an email to The Canadian Press on Jan. 17.

“The panel does not provide reasons for its decisions.”