FORT FRANCES, Ont. – A Fort Frances, Ont. councillor says he may undertake a Charter challenge if he’s sanctioned for describing a complainant as a ‘white senior citizen.’
Coun. Douglas Judson says last December a complaint was submitted to the town’s integrity commissioner accusing him of contravening the Municipal Code of Conduct on Oct. 25, 2020.
Judson said the commissioner dismissed most of the two-sentence complaint, but did find he had breached a section of the code by republishing the words of an anonymous letter printed in the Fort Frances Times and attributed to a resident of a local senior’s home, describing the unknown author as a white senior citizen.
The commissioner called it discriminatory, a ruling Judson says is mistaken.
“My characterization of an anonymous critic in this manner is a matter of fact, fair comment, and legitimate political expression, and I stand by it. Not only was every letter council received from an individual opposed to renaming Colonization Road sent to us from a white senior citizen, but the commissioner has no evidence that my description of the anonymous author was incorrect. In fact, all evidence points to my correctness. The complainant is not even the author of the anonymous letter in question,” Judson said in a release issued to media.
“Regardless, the commissioner’s analysis is replete with legal errors. The commissioner reaches his conclusion by applying incorrect and baseless definitions of discrimination from sources like Wikipedia. He gives little consideration to my Charter right to freedom of expression and fails to recognize that integrity commissioners have no jurisdiction to referee political expression.”
Judson accused the commissioner’s report of containing an undercurrent of racism against white people, which he deemed absurd.
“White people are not racialized. It is offensive to suggest that the victims of racism here – in an effort to redress historic wrongs against Indigenous people – are white people with hurt feelings,” Judson said.
“The commissioner’s finding amounts to tone-policing that seems to be predicated on disreputable theories of ‘reverse racism’ from nameless complainants and people unwilling to sign their names to editorial opinions. This does not merit protection by the Code. I am proud of my efforts, and I will push back against any outcome that suggests equity-seeking advocacy needs to atone for the discomfort of the privileged.”
Judson said he’s instructed his lawyers to immediately launch a Charter challenge if he’s sanctioned, as well as a judicial review proceeding against the municipality and the commissioner.
“If there are members of council or the public who take issue with my efforts or methods to fight for these causes, they are free to disagree with me. Their recourse is at the ballot box or in political debate, not with the commissioner.”
Fort Frances Mayor June Caul said council has not yet received the report and as such, will not comment at this time.
