Bill Whatcott

Hate speech case reaches Supreme Court

CBC News, October 11, 2011

The Supreme Court of Canada on Wednesday heard arguments in the case of a man accused of hate speech for distributing flyers in Saskatchewan condemning homosexuality.

Bill Whatcott distributed flyers in Regina and Saskatoon in 2001 and 2002 calling homosexuals sodomites and child molesters. CBC
Bill Whatcott was charged with promoting hate after he distributed flyers in Regina and Saskatoon in 2001 and 2002 calling homosexuals sodomites and child molesters.

“Our children will pay the price in disease, death, abuse and ultimately eternal judgment if we do not say no to the sodomite desire to socialize your children into accepting something that is clearly wrong,” one of the pamphlets said.

Whatcott was found guilty by the Saskatchewan Human Rights Tribunal in 2005 and ordered to pay $17,500 to the complainants, but the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal overturned the ruling in 2010. Whatcott argued he was opposed to gay activity, not gay people.

The Supreme Court of Canada agreed to hear the case between Whatcott and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission. The hearing Wednesday continued with interventions from interested third-parties. Read entire article here.

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Whatcott defends anti-gay flyers as case lands in Supreme Court

Tobi Cohen, Postmedia News, October 12, 2011

As Canada’s top court prepared to hear a pivotal case that pits freedom of speech and religion against the rights of homosexuals, William Whatcott continued to do what he’s been doing for more than a decade — hand out anti-gay flyers.

Outside a courtroom Wednesday, the 43-year-old Edmonton man said he distributed some 3,000 flyers since arriving in Ottawa two days earlier. It got him kicked off the Carleton University campus and he was even approached by four police officers in the city’s downtown.

“I gave one to each of (the officers) and I said, ‘I hope you guys read this,'” he told Postmedia News.

“I believe I have 2,000 years-plus of church history on my side that homosexual conduct is wrong and I believe I have a right to express that.”

The flyers express his opposition to teaching children about homosexuality in public schools and attack homosexual behaviour, particularly a personal ad in a gay magazine that appears to promote pedophilia. They decry sodomy and suggest “homosexuals want to share their filth and propaganda” with children… Read entire article here.

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SCC Case Information

Docket 33676
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission v. William Whatcott, et al.

Follow this case through the official Supreme Court of Canada Docket Page.