OCLA’s 2020 Year in Review

Posted on January 1, 2021 by admin

Dear OCLA Supporter,

This email is to give you an update on the Ontario Civil Liberties Association (OCLA)’s work in the surreal year of 2020. We hope to stay connected with you and work together to resist and reverse the rapid degradation of civil rights currently occurring in Canada.

OCLA report “Criticism of Government Response to COVID-19 in Canada”

In April, we published a research report authored by OCLA researcher Dr. Denis Rancourt, criticizing the government’s actions during the spring lockdown. The Abstract of the report reads as follows:

We review the scientific literature about general-population lockdown and social-distancing measures, which is relevant to mitigation policy in Canada. Federal and provincial Canadian government responses to and communications about COVID-19 have been irresponsible. The latest research implies that the government interventions to “flatten the curve” risk causing significant additional cumulative COVID-19 deaths, due to seasonal driving of transmissibility and delayed societal immunity.

Denis has written several research and review articles on COVID-19, including:

OCLA’s opposition to mandatory face mask policies

OCLA continues to oppose the arbitrary and draconian imposition of face masks on the general population. Our interventions in 2020 are documented at the following links:

OCLA’s submission on new online hate speech law

In July 2020, civil liberties associations were invited by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to participate in consultations to “inform the development of legal remedies for victims of online hate”.

OCLA has previously argued that the “hate speech” provisions of Canada’s Criminal Code are unconstitutional and in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and we reiterated this argument in our submission for the July 2020 consultations, as well as critiquing the Minister’s specific proposed additions to Canada’s hate speech laws.

Defending free speech of Ontario medical doctor Dr. Kulvinder Gill

In August, OCLA asked Dr. Brenda Copps, President of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), to dismiss the CPSO’s investigations of tweets made by Ontario medical doctor Dr. Kulvinder Gill that are critical of COVID-19 policy and practices. The letter can be read here: https://ocla.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2020-08-11-OCLA-letter-to-CPSO-President.pdf

Internet censorship

“Blocking YouTube channels and banning books on Amazon are akin to requiring government authorisation to operate a printing press or to buy a photocopier or pen and paper. Only the technology and the administrative covering structures have changed. Establishment censorship is establishment censorship.”

The above quote is from OCLA’s statement opposing Amazon’s deplatforming of Ezra Levant’s book China Virus: How Justin Trudeau’s Pro-Communist Ideology is Putting Canadians in danger.

We, like many other organizations and individuals, have also been affected by social media censorship. In July, our Facebook group was disappeared and then reappeared 24 hours later. Many posts in the group are now being arbitrarily removed by Facebook. As a backup in the event that Facebook deletes our group, OCLA maintains an alternative group at MeWe. However, our email list remains the best and most secure way to stay connected with us.

Media coverage

What you can do

Thank you for being a valued contact for OCLA. Here are some suggestions for what you can do to help:

  • Tell your friends and family about OCLA, and the importance of freedom, and suggest that they look at our website and join our free Newsletter list.
  • Let us know about civil rights violations in Ontario, via our Contact page, here.
  • Make a donation to OCLA, if you can this year.
  • If you are a lawyer or paralegal, consider adding your name to our list of legal contacts, and tell us about your relevant interests.
  • If you have academic research skills, consider offering some volunteer involvement.
  • If you have social activist skills, and would like to get more connected with OCLA, let us know.
  • Fight for freedom any way you can, and let us know about your battles.

How to stay connected and donate to OCLA

Website: https://ocla.ca
Twitter: @oncivlib
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/110883345731728/
MeWe: https://mewe.com/group/5f282c504c45c17d75d6ace4
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKqbht2j2BPu4Wb2epM4BKw

OCLA is an independent, volunteer-run organization. Donations help cover operating costs such as booking rooms for public events, printing promotional material for campaigns and events, and paying for court filing fees and court document production costs (copies and binding) for court and tribunal interventions on civil liberties issues.

As we are an entirely volunteer-run organization with a very small budget, we do depend on donations to continue our work, and appreciate any contribution you can make.

Donations can be made in three ways:

1) Through PayPal, by clicking the “Donate” button in the top-right corner of https://ocla.ca;
2) With cryptocurrency (Bitcoin and other options) at the link here; or
3) By sending a cheque to “Ontario Civil Liberties Association” to our mailing address:

Ontario Civil Liberties Association
170 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 603
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1P 5V5

OCLA is not affiliated with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) or the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA). All three associations are separate and distinct.

Thank you for your support!

Yours truly,

Joseph Hickey, PhD
Executive Director
Ontario Civil Liberties Association (OCLA) https://ocla.ca

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