CBC Celebrates UN Human Rights Day With Stories and Court Battle

December 10, 2015 was 67th annual United Nations Human Rights Day. CBC reported stories related to Human Rights from Newfoundland to British Columbia.

One of the principals of the The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is that people should have effective remedies in tribunals, which in Canada are the provincial and federal Human Rights Commissions.

CBC did not report their shame for engaging in a protracted 6-year court battle to keep a Human Rights complaint from being heard. In 2013 the PEI Human Rights Commission called for a hearing into the human rights complaint of Stephen Pate. CBC immediately filed for a Judicial Review to avoid the human rights tribunal.

Some might call Canada’s taxpayer-funded broadcaster disingenuous if not hypocritical.

In Calgary, CBC reported advocates were fighting for the human rights of an baby. In Toronto a family hosting Syrian refugees was reported – Scarborough mother and daughter to host 43 Syrian refugee family members.

The CBC has not reported they have filed a court action to stop the PEI Human Rights Commission from hearing the case of Stephen Pate and NJN Network, a case that began modestly 6 years ago.  In just one session in September 2015, the Judicial Review occupied 3 days of Court in Charlottetown. CBC did not report on the proceedings.

No CBC reporter is allowed, on instructions from CBC management, to cover this human rights case. It took the retirement of senior CBC legislative reporter John Jeffery to get a story published.

“Islanders should pay attention to the Press Gallery’s battle with human rights  and a disabled blogger,” wrote the 35-year CBC veteran Jeffery in PateGate and the Media.

Ex-CBC journalist Jeffery says that it is a travesty that the CBC should be trying to restrict freedom of the press in the very place where Canada was born, the “Cradle of Confederation.”

“The PEI Press Gallery is an extension of the PEI Legislature, the cradle of Canadian Confederation and the seat of modern day democracy in this province.   What does it say if the Press Gallery is found to have discriminated against Pate?”

“These are the leading journalists on PEI,. Donna Allen is executive producer and  controls what goes on CBC Radio and Television. Wayne Thibodeau is now the Senior Editor of the Guardian.  Teresa Wright is the Political Reporter for the Guardian, and a radio panelist.”

“PateGate began in 2009, when a self-described journalist, businessman and disabled blogger, Stephen Pate ,applied for membership in the PEI Press Gallery.  Shortly after, a meeting was called and Pate was voted in as its Secretary-Treasurer.”

“Two weeks later , on October 19th 2009, another meeting of the Press Gallery was called.  It’s intention: to vote Pate off the executive, and cancel his press gallery credential.   That move was led by Thibodeau, CBC’s Executive Producer, Donna Allen and another Guardian  staffer, Teresa Wright.”

Long protracted court battles wear down the weak, the very people human rights are meant to protect. CBC has taxpayer’s dollars to fight any length of legal action putting Pate, a person with a disability, at an obvious disadvantage.

The PEI Human Rights Commission hearings are supposed to allow cases of human rights injustice to be heard. “AND WHEREAS it is deemed desirable to provide for the people of the province a Human Rights Commission to which complaints relating to discrimination may be made.” PEI Human Rights Act

“For sure, the matter will be dragged on, for as long as possible,” concludes John Jeffery.

That is hardly justice and it’s hardly an example of human rights in action.

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network