Humour cannot be used as a shield for discriminatory conduct, argues the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse
The Commission today argued before the Court of Appeal that freedom of expression is protected in Québec and that a comedian may make jokes about a public figure, without exceeding a threshold of gravity that violates the dignity of that person.
Montréal, January 16, 2019 – The Commission today argued before the Court of Appeal that freedom of expression is protected in Québec and that a comedian may make jokes about a public figure, without exceeding a threshold of gravity that violates the dignity of that person. The Commission had received a complaint of discrimination from Jérémy Gabriel and his parents and brought the matter before the Human Rights Tribunal, to meet its obligations under the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. This is an exceptional case, as the Commission has not had to investigate the comments of a comedian in the past.
News release (French only)
