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Connections 50+ presents Cambridge Third Age Learning

With Dr. Jennifer Tunnicliffe

Drawing the Line: Hate Propaganda and the Limits of Free Expression in Canadian History

Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are at the core of how Canadian democracy has been defined. However, the extent to which these rights can reasonably be limited by law remains a subject for debate. The controversy over government attempts to regulate hate speech provides one clear example; revealing the tensions between the right to freely express oneself and the right of members of identified groups to live free from hatred and discrimination.

The issue of hate speech and questions over its regulation have taken on a new urgency in recent years, especially given the growing challenge of online hate. Yet, public and media discussions on these topics often lack the historical and legal context necessary to fully understand the rise and growth of hate propaganda in Canada and the current laws that are in place to restrict hateful speech.

This talk will therefore trace the history of hate movements in Canada, outline the various legal and political methods the federal government has used since the 1960s to regulate hate propaganda and ultimately consider the ways in which these histories continue to impact contemporary culture, politics, and Canadian society.

About Dr. Jennifer Tunnicliffe

Jennifer Tunnicliffe is an Assistant Professor of History at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on Canadian and international human rights history with particular attention to how social movements shape legislative approaches to rights and freedoms. Her first book, Resisting Rights: Canada and the International Bill of Rights (UBC Press, 2019) examines Canada's resistance to the development of human rights instruments at the United Nations after the Second World War. She is also co-editor of Constant Struggle (McGill-Queen's, 2021), a collection of essays that explores Canada's history with democracy. Her current book project focuses on the history of free speech and of hate speech laws in Canada, working to situate Canada's efforts to regulate hate speech into a global perspective.

About Cambridge Third Age Learning

Cambridge Third Age Learning (CTAL) is a movement that encourages learning and discovery experiences for those in the 'third age'. As part of our Connections 50+ suite of programming, CTAL provides free monthly lectures in our Queen's Square location. With lecturers and topics carefully selected by our CTAL Committee, a volunteer-led group of contemporaries, the series is designed to inspire new thinking and engage inquisitive minds.

COST: Free

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