EDITORIAL – The OneBC event – what is the cost of freedom of speech?

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH is a tricky thing. As we all know, it isn’t absolute, but we have to be careful when we get tempted to restrict it. We can’t do it just because we disagree with what’s being said.

The City of Kamloops, and City council, disagree with Dallas Brodie and her OneBC party, and made that clear in a statement released Wednesday.

“We do not support or condone residential school denialism, anti Indigenous racism, or any form of hate speech,” said the City.

“These perspectives are harmful, undermine reconciliation, and stand in direct opposition to the values of respect, inclusion, and truth that we are committed to upholding as a municipality.”

At the same time, the City said, it doesn’t have a legal right to refuse rental of a municipal facility — that facility being the Kia Lounge in Sandman Centre, though it wasn’t mentioned in the statement — to the party.

According to OneBC, the meeting is about such things as the party’s policies, UNDRIP, private property rights (a contentious issue that concerns many British Columbians) and “affordability.”

It’s true Brodie has been skeptical, and even mocking at times, of the suspected discovery of unmarked graves of kids who attended the Kamloops Indian Residential School and other such schools across the country. Empirical evidence has, so far, not been forthcoming. Brodie and others who think like her, want such evidence to be produced before they’ll believe in the existence of unmarked graves.

But that’s not denial of the bad things that did go on at residential schools. In the case of unmarked graves, the way in which skeptics express themselves isn’t always polite or pleasant, but the act of asking questions or expressing doubt is not, of itself, wrong.

At any rate, the City has gone out of its way to pre-judge what might be said at the OneBC town hall. Indeed, it may be that the event might attract some characters who use it as an opportunity to express racist beliefs, or encourage disturbance. In that light, the City’s concern is understandable.

Whether or not that’s enough reason to put a financial barrier in front of OneBC is a good question. The party responded with a claim today that the City has demanded an additional $7,729 security fee on top of the normal $583 rental charge.

At this writing, it’s unclear whether the town hall will ago ahead at Kia Lounge or some other venue Sunday evening, or if it will be cancelled. If the plug is pulled on the event, it will be unfortunate, because asking tough questions — even though they may be disagreeable — is part of the democratic process.

UPDATE: The City has cancelled the facility use permit for the OneBC event. No word yet on whether another venue will be found.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, writes for the Kamloops Chronicle and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and was a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.