Multiple community organizations requested prominent Canadian psychologist and author Dr. Jordan Peterson’s show at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa be stopped. .“The toxic, and often violent, rhetoric touted by Peterson — whose quasi-academic ideas are misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, and racist — led to an increased environment of hate, especially toward the trans community, that has been very present in Ottawa,” said the organizations in a Monday letter to the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Ottawa city council. .The letter was signed by 33 community groups, including Wisdom2Action, the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity, and the Centretown Community Health Centre. .The organizations said the groups represent thousands of people across Ottawa and surrounding areas, “many of whom are from equity-deserving communities and almost all of whom experienced the traumatic events of the occupation of our city by the far-right.”.They said the Freedom Convoy led to hundreds of incidents of harassment towards residents and journalists, the Rideau Centre Mall being closed, the downtown bus network being shut down, and people with disabilities experiencing disruptions in supportive care services. .Peterson was an avid supporter of the Freedom Convoy. He invited Freedom Convoy co-organizer Benjamin Dichter on his podcast and showed support for co-organizer Tamara Lich. .Parental rights activists arrived in Ottawa to protest gender ideology being taught to students in front of high schools in 2022. The letter said these protestors used arguments similar to the ones Peterson made when opposing Bill C-16. .The letter went on to say he has advocated for ideas such as enforced monogamy, encouraging the superiority of men over women and insinuating they should be treated as sexual objects instead of equals. .The organizations alleged Peterson and his followers will argue protesting or calling for the cancellation of his events is censorship. They said they are not writing this letter “simply because we disagree with his ideas but because the ideas espoused by Peterson directly jeopardize the safety and well-being of marginalized communities, especially women and transgender people.” .The letter calls on CAA to cancel his Ottawa show and drop him as a client. It said Ottawa city council should send a letter to the Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa Senators Group, and CAA outlining residents’ concerns and their desire to cancel the show. .The letter concluded by saying Peterson’s views are hate speech. The tolerance of different ideas is about mutual respect and dignity. .“We believe the views expressed by Peterson and his supporters reflect neither of these values,” said the organizations. .“If the CAA, the Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa Senators Group, and our city council truly value the lives and well-being of equity-seeking groups throughout the City of Ottawa, they will act quickly and work together to ensure this show does not take place in our city.”.Ontario NDP MPP Laura Mae Lindo called out the City of Kitchener in May for letting an event with Peterson proceed. .READ MORE: Ontario NDP MPP condemns city for allowing Jordan Peterson event.“There’s no room for hate in Kitchener or Ontario,” said Lindo. .“Mr. Peterson’s racist and transphobic worldview are simply not welcome here.”
