Councillor calls on Canadian Tire Centre to cancel Jordan Peterson event
An Ottawa councillor is calling on the Ottawa Senators and Canadian Tire Centre to cancel controversial psychologist and self-help author Jordan Peterson's book tour stop in Ottawa next week.
The former University of Toronto professor-turned-YouTube personality is visiting Ottawa on Monday as part of his Beyond Order tour.
In an open letter to the Senators, Canadian Tire Centre and Creative Artists Agency, Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster expresses her disappointment in the decision to host the event.
"Ottawa has seen a rise in hate against 2SLGBTQ+ people in recent years, Jordan Peterson’s event undermines the work that the city and community organizations are doing to create stronger and more equitable communities," Troster writes, who is the Council Liaison for Women, Gender Equity and 2SLGBTQ+.
Peterson rose to prominence in 2016 with a series of YouTube videos in which he spoke out against gender-neutral pronouns and Bill C-16, which banned discrimination against people based on gender identity.
His book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos was published in 2018 and has sold millions of copies. His follow-up Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life, was released last year.
Peterson was suspended from Twitter last summer after violating Twitter’s hateful conduct policy by posting tweets targeting transgender actor Eliot Page. New Twitter owner Elon Musk reinstated Peterson’s account in November.
Last week, a coalition of community groups released a statement condemning the event and called on the CTC to cancel Peterson's show. The letter said Peterson was an "avid supporter" of the 'Freedom Convoy' occupation.
"This is not the only reason that we express our concern around this event. The toxic, and often violent, rhetoric touted by Peterson—whose quasi-academic ideas are misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, and racist has led to an increased environment of hate, especially toward the trans community, that has been very present in Ottawa," the letter said.
The letter was signed by more than 30 non-profits, businesses and organizations, including the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity, Kind Space, the Council of Canadians, Defend Choice, the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, Canadian Anti-Hate Network and the City for All Women Initiative.
Troster says council passed a motion condemning anti-trans hate in December, and the Senators' decision to host Peterson "directly contradicts" the National Hockey League's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
"I hope you will re-consider hosting this event and connect with 2SLGBTQ+ community organizations in Ottawa to forge a path forward that ensures that the Canadian Tire Centre is never used as a platform for hate and discrimination," Troster writes.
The Beyond Order tour featured nearly 100 stops this year in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. There are about 30 stops planned for next year so far.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.