00:08:11.180Oh no, she wasn't advocating for genocide against any identifiable group.0.82
00:08:16.360That's what the pro-Hamas people do every weekend.
00:08:19.500Of course, they don't get charged with anything.
00:08:21.380Rather, the police reimagine themselves as Uber Eats providers to deliver them Timbits and coffee.0.93
00:08:29.220Rather, Benita Peterson was merely conveying her opposition to a proposed rainbow crosswalk for the town.1.00
00:08:39.460That's right. A human rights violation in Canada can be based on opposition to a paint scheme.
00:08:46.760According to our friends at the Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms, the complaint dates back to June 2023 and concerns a flyer Peterson distributed after learning that the town of Westlock planned to paint a rainbow crosswalk incorporating the colors of the transgender pride flag.
00:09:09.580I know, I know what you're thinking, folks.
00:09:12.880Isn't the bailiwick of a municipality to, you know, pick up the trash and keep the streets clear of snow and fix potholes as opposed to, well, embracing woke propaganda at taxpayer expense?
00:10:04.780Well, it stated the truth, such as the potential consequences of gender transition, which includes infertility.
00:10:15.940But, you know, we're not supposed to speak about that, you see.
00:10:19.520As well, Peterson encouraged residents who opposed the crosswalk to contact their elected representatives.
00:10:27.160She wanted to see this ludicrous propaganda exercise cancelled outright.
00:10:31.880Alas, on June 19, 2023, local resident Lori Hodge filed a complaint against Peterson under the Alberta Human Rights Act, alleging that distributing the flyer constituted discrimination based on gender, gender expression, and gender identity.
00:10:54.060Now, I know what you might be thinking, folks. Don't we have freedom of speech in Canada? Don't we have charter rights?
00:11:01.880Don't we live in a society where we can agree to disagree and move on?
00:11:06.880Clearly, such is not the case in our dominion any longer.
00:11:11.760As well, you have to wonder about Hodge's real motivation.
00:11:15.900As the Justice Centre notes, Hodge was not a member of Westlock Town Council when the flyer was distributed.
00:11:23.260But both women subsequently ran for council in a January 2024 by-election.
00:11:30.280Peterson finished second and Hodge finished third.
00:11:32.920However, Hodge was later elected to counsel.
00:11:37.280The point is, was Hodge really all that upset about opposition to a rainbow crosswalk?
00:11:44.440Or was she using the crosswalk issue to pursue a political vendetta against a rival?
00:11:52.800In any event, last year, the director of the Alberta Human Rights Commission
00:11:57.100referred the complaint to the tribunal for a hearing under Section 3 of the Alberta Human Rights
00:12:04.740Act. This provision prohibits certain publications that indicate discrimination or an intention to
00:12:13.940discriminate or that are likely to expose people to hatred or contempt based on protected
00:12:21.600characteristics. The director has since taken carriage of the complaint on Hodge's behalf. Well,
00:12:28.420of course he did. What a bad joke, missing a punchline. Alberta's kangaroo court believes that
00:12:37.300voicing opposition to a rainbow-hued crosswalk is akin to exposing transgenders to a hate fest,
00:12:46.280Really? More likely, the real reason for the tribunal going forward with this case is to simply justify the existence of the tribunal, which is to say it's irrelevant if a complaint is frivolous.
00:13:04.020After all, job one when it comes to a bureaucracy is to, well, grow the bureaucracy regardless of merit.
00:13:13.420And so it is the director of the commission is expected to call an expert witness to testify about the physical and mental health of youth and marginalized populations.
00:13:27.440No, I'm not making this up, folks. The commission is going to find a kook, or I mean, an expert, to make the case that if the town of Westlock did not paint a crosswalk in the rainbow colors, such a slight would lead to transgenders experiencing physical harm? I swear.
00:13:49.580Peterson, meanwhile, is being forced to play along in this ludicrous game, which is to say she will rely on expert evidence from an endocrinologist with experience in treating transgender patients and a psychiatrist who specializes in gender dysphoria.
00:14:10.240again let me stress this is all about a proposed crosswalk resembling the fruit of the loom logo
00:14:19.220and in case you're wondering where the human rights hucksters are leaning when it comes to
00:14:26.240this case consider this in may 2026 the director brought a motion to prevent most of peterson's
00:14:35.340proposed witnesses from testifying due to the director's position that her witness's evidence
00:14:43.960was irrelevant. Thankfully, in July 2026, the tribunal denied the director's motion
00:14:51.820to exclude those witnesses. You know, at least make it seem like this will be a fair fight.
00:14:59.340but clearly, as they say in Las Vegas, folks, the fix is in. As the Justice Center adroitly notes,
00:15:08.320this case illustrates the broader concern with empowering administrative human rights bodies
00:15:15.520to investigate and punish expression. Political disagreements about controversial social issues
00:15:25.520should ordinarily be answered through debate and democratic participation rather than through
00:15:33.580government proceedings seeking penalties against citizens for simply expressing their views.
00:15:41.740As constitutional lawyer Alison Pajovic states, quote, Albertans should be free to express their
00:15:49.920opinions on controversial topics without being accused of hatred and discrimination, end quote.
00:16:00.120Now, the Peterson case is not a one-off, by the way. Still with the Justice Center for
00:16:06.620Constitutional Freedoms, the organization also recently announced that the Supreme Court of
00:16:13.240British Columbia has granted four organizations permission to intervene in nurse Amy Hamm's
00:16:20.680appeal of disciplinary findings against her over Hamm's off-duty expression about sex and gender.
00:16:31.540As interveners, the organizations can make arguments to the court without being parties
00:16:37.760to the case, bringing competing perspectives to an appeal that could help determine when
00:16:44.740professional regulators may punish Canadians for expression outside the workplace.
00:16:52.720In a decision released on September 8, 2026, Justice J. Hughes granted intervener status
00:17:00.720to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, West Coast LEAF, EGAL Canada,
00:17:08.940and the Association for Reformed Political Action Canada. The court also dismissed an application
00:17:17.440from the Vancouver Lesbian Collective. Gee, that kind of sounds a little homophobic, wouldn't you
00:17:24.200say. Anyways, Ham is appealing a March 2025 decision of a disciplinary panel of the British
00:17:33.020Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives, which found that she had committed unprofessional
00:17:40.060conduct through statements she made on various online platforms from 2018 to 2021 about sex,
00:17:50.080gender transgender issues and sex-based rights for women which is to say as a health care
00:17:58.400professional ham is you know a fan of biology 101 too bad the college isn't looks like that whole
00:18:06.620follow the science schnick was only in vogue when it came to people being coerced into getting an
00:18:14.760experimental vaccine jab during the COVID years. The Justice Center notes that Ham's appeal
00:18:21.960raises broader questions about the extent to which professional regulators can discipline members
00:18:29.840again for expression outside the workplace. Naturally, the usual suspects representing
00:18:37.580the transgender mafia will advance arguments that could give professional regulators greater scope0.99
00:28:23.380They say politics is all about timing, and the previous councillor had held the seat
00:28:28.960for a very long time, 23 years, and on the second last day of nominations,
00:28:34.500she announced her resignation. She withdrew her candidacy. And I wasn't the only one who had the
00:28:41.380thought. What was initially a race between three or four candidates now, I think, is the most
00:28:47.600populated with 18 of us in the run. And notably, one of the persons running is an incumbent in
00:28:58.200another riding that would be Diana Sachs and I think for political ambitions that's why she went
00:29:05.900into Toronto Danforth but Karima for our audience how would you describe Toronto Danforth as a
00:29:15.680riding you know in terms of demographics in terms of what the people want there sure so it's a bit
00:29:21.700unusual to have an incumbent from another riding yes withdraw from her race and move elsewhere
00:29:28.040So, you know, opportunism strikes where it does.
00:29:32.040I can say that my connection to Toronto Danforth is that it's the first neighborhood I lived in when I moved to Toronto from Ottawa from law school.
00:29:41.460And I stayed there for several years until I couldn't afford it anymore.
00:29:45.240So I understand when I'm speaking with people who raise concerns about affordability, that really resonates.
00:29:52.400And I'm excited to be back there and to be spending a lot of time, you know, beyond that, who are the people in Toronto Danforth? They're Torontonians, right? So you get kind of the mix that you'll see elsewhere.
00:30:08.540I think there are a lot of people who are concerned about the direction in which the city is heading, who may, you know, have whatever political allegiance.
00:30:21.620But, you know, if the reality of being on the ground is seeing people in distress on the sidewalk, on the transit, garbage bins overflowing, you know, that that that's the daily reality.
00:30:37.960And so I'm hoping that that people really prioritize municipal issues.
00:30:44.960You know, there's, of course, always all sorts of questions about things that are way outside the jurisdiction of councillor.
00:30:52.640And, you know, I'm prepared to answer those questions, but really we need sort of a focus.
00:31:00.440And what I would offer is being constituent centric. Right.
00:31:04.440It matters what matters to the people.
00:31:07.060You know, Karima, once upon a time, I lived in East York, would go to the Danforth all the time. As you know, it's a treasure trove of fantastic restaurants and cafes. It's the home to Greektown. And I got to tell you, an issue that is, you know, in the bailiwick of the City Hall is something that happened a few years ago, the implementation of bike lanes.
00:31:33.500I've spoken to retailers. I've spoken to restaurateurs. Everyone says they have ruined
00:31:40.720the street. And I concur with that. It's right now a conga line of one lane. So on that hot0.90
00:31:46.980button issue, where do you stand if you're elected? Will you advocate for ripping out
00:31:51.760the bike lanes on Danforth? I think bike lanes on arterial roads aren't necessarily the best
00:31:59.240strategy, right? And that it is what people say who own businesses, you know, you can't have the
00:32:07.200curbside sort of drop off and it's just, there's less space. And of course, the taste of the Danforth,
00:32:13.740you know, there were a few years it was cancelled, partly due to COVID. And then there was the issue
00:32:19.140of there not being enough space due to bike lanes and due to the cafes, the sidewalk patio cafes,
00:32:27.560Right. Which kind of popped up in the wake of COVID.
00:32:31.620Having said that, I use the bike lanes.
00:32:34.720I use them, mind you, on my scooter, which itself is not a lawful device in Toronto.
00:32:41.680And that's another thing that City Council should be reconsidering.
00:32:44.780Right. People need to be able to get around. That's the bottom line.
00:32:47.460And I think that the bike lane, right, there's so much that is hinged on it as kind of a culture identity thing.
00:32:55.500And really, we need to think about what are the practical realities. So, you know, I don't know if ripping things out, is that a productive use of time and infrastructure? Mind you, the province has already made that decision for the city in some respects.
00:33:15.600Um, I, as I said, arterial roads, public transit, buses, cars, there's more movement.
00:33:25.060Uh, of course in, in Toronto, you know, you have cyclists and scooter riders and mopeds1.00
00:33:31.160that really aren't operational the whole year, um, except for the diehards.0.85
00:33:36.880Um, and it takes a lot of resources to keep those lanes clear and so on.
00:33:41.920But having said that, you know, there's a lot of people I'm talking to at the doors who hold bike lanes very close to their heart.
00:33:49.560So I think it would require a fair bit of actual meaningful consultation with those residents.
00:33:55.980And ultimately, it may be up to the province.
00:34:33.300And when you're going door knocking and of course, I imagine you probably bought a new pair of running shoes.
00:34:39.140You know, half the game is putting in kilometers and kilometers of walking every day, knocking on the door, you know, talking to people, leaving your literature behind.
00:34:49.900What are they telling you when you meet them?
00:34:53.580You know, there is an undercurrent of wanting change.
00:34:58.500I think that when you have a councillor who has served for so long, it creates perhaps a sense of complacency and there are friendships and alliances that form, meaning that maybe not everyone gets their needs met.
00:35:52.460And then, of course, you know, people are concerned about the usual crime, congestion, affordability, right, cost of living, all of those things are definitely top of mind.
00:36:03.700And, you know, let me challenge you on that point that the people there want a change, Karima, because as you said, Paula Fletcher has been the councillor for 23 years and keeps getting reelected without that much of a challenge.
00:36:18.280And when I did the introduction, when I called her a communist, that wasn't a cheap shot.
00:36:25.220She was, I think, the head of the Communist Party of Manitoba or some such thing.
00:36:31.240How do you even get elected with that on your resume?
00:36:34.620Well, I think that there is definitely a demographic in Toronto Danforth who are sympathetic to left-leaning ideas.
00:36:46.740And so that is just a reality of the ward. It's the same ward that Jack Layton used to be a councillor. So, you know, historically, that's where people have leaned. And I'm not, you know, I don't know. It depends, right? If we go by the issues.
00:37:09.520I think that kind of an ideological approach really isn't productive at City Hall.
00:37:16.340I think that, in fact, there's too much of that already, that there are sort of political agendas being pushed regardless of how that benefits or is to the detriment of people needing to access services, because that's the role of the city, right?
00:37:33.180It's a corporation that provides services.
00:37:35.200And if that contract isn't being upheld, then what are we really doing here?
00:37:40.760So I'm hopeful that, you know, that that'll be top of mind for people.
00:37:45.400Gotcha. Well, certainly Fletcher was far left on the political spectrum.
00:37:49.220If a constituent asked you this question, Karima, where do you lay on the political spectrum?
00:37:57.020Well, I did one of those online tests, like a personality quiz, because I, you know, I'm not even sure.
00:38:04.320I feel politically homeless at the moment. And I know I'm not the only one. Right. Like I went to school and university and kind of consumed a lot of ideas that helped me to understand where people on the left are coming from.
00:38:22.940I've also seen some of these ideas in practice and how, you know, it doesn't quite live up to the theory.
00:38:30.140So I understand some of the reactionary or more conservative approach.
00:38:34.440So I, you know, have been in this weird position of just observing and not sharing my opinion for the longest time.
00:38:40.980And now here I am putting myself forward for counsel.
00:38:45.460But the truth is none of these ideologies really match.
00:38:50.420I think that what's actually important is hearing people out, is considering evidence, and then making reasoned decisions.
00:39:01.380So that's boring, perhaps, but I think municipal politics should be boring.
00:39:06.960Okay. Tell me, certainly, Ms. Fletcher, she was an ally of the mayor, Olivia Chow.
00:39:14.220What is your assessment of Olivia Chow's last three years in office?
00:39:19.180Well, I mean, from the perspective of documenting protests, I think that there have been some missteps on the side of policing.
00:39:31.860And of course, it's not the mayor who controls the police, but the mayor does appoint people to the police board, which sets the policies and the direction.
00:39:43.240And I think that even between frontline officers and upper brass, there is a huge disconnect on how to manage protests.
00:39:54.480And so on that specific file, I think that there's a lot of room for improvement.
00:40:00.640And more generally, I mean, just walking around, things seem a little bit shabbier.
00:40:08.380Right. And so I think that we can do so much better. And that, you know, that's partly why I put my name in. This feels like a pivotal moment in Toronto's history and a time for being measured. And I don't see a lot of that always in City Council, but that's what I would hope to bring.
00:40:29.060You know, I couldn't agree with you more about the shabbiness of the city.
00:40:32.860With the exception of four years, I've lived my entire life in Toronto or a suburb of Toronto.
00:42:04.760So if that's not campaigning, then I'm not sure what is.
00:42:08.620And if she didn't want to attend, you know, it's an answer.
00:42:14.140to say no. And she doesn't have to provide an explanation. But to give an explanation that is
00:42:21.120disingenuous, I think was more offensive to the people who did show up. And of course,
00:42:27.180on that very same day, the mayor and the police chief made a special announcement about all the
00:42:34.760steps and measures they're going to take to ensure that everyone's safe during the high holidays.
00:42:41.560And so the timing of that was also a little bit suspect.
00:42:44.480And the announcement, frankly, could have been made in person to an interested community.
00:42:49.900So, you know, where does she stand on this?
00:42:53.360I think that some of her supporters are regular protesters.
00:42:58.800If we look at some of the work she did before becoming mayor and kind of the activist building and all of that, there's a lot of recurring faces and characters.
00:43:10.560And so I think that she's making a pragmatic decision, but I don't know that it demonstrates sort of the courage you'd expect from a leader.
00:43:20.760I couldn't have said it better. In fact, that was going to be my next question.
00:43:23.760I really believe that when you see these mass marches of the river to the sea crowd, these are the people voting for Olivia Chow.
00:43:32.100She knows that. And to show sympathy for the Jewish people who are under attack, to take a righteous stance would be detrimental at the ballot box.
00:43:43.420That's how I feel. Karima, we're running out of time.
00:44:00.780I know. But what is your, you know, Hollywood-esque 30-second elevator pitch to get somebody on Team Karima?
00:44:12.840I am bringing all sorts of transferable skills to City Hall.
00:44:16.580I'm a lawyer. I understand how to read contracts and the nitty-gritty things that are the foundation of being a municipal councillor.
00:44:27.540I'm also a journalist, so I understand the value of asking tough questions, of listening to people, trying to come to an understanding and, again, hold power to account, both lawyering and journalism.
00:45:42.280How would you respond to those people?
00:45:43.960I already have a public profile. I don't need to do this kind of stunt. And I dare say that among the candidates for councillor, there's no one who has endured as a private citizen more hate and more abuse than me. And so, you know, of course, that is what the detractors will say. I don't need it for that reason. I am in it to make the ward a better place.