A Canadian court upheld an order from a governing body for psychologists that requires Dr. Jordan Peterson to undergo re-education training.
The order follows complaints from strangers who were offended by Peterson’s views opposing left-wing ideologies.
The College of Psychologists of Ontario said Peterson’s comments were degrading, demeaning and unprofessional” and risk “undermining public trust in the profession of psychology, and trust in the college’s ability to regulate the profession in the public interest.”
Peterson’s “demeaning” comments included criticizing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his former chief of staff Gerald Butts, suggesting a doctor conducting a transgender surgery was a “criminal physician,” and retweeting a comment that the extent of COVID-19 lockdowns were unnecessary.
Peterson wrote in an article in the National Post, “I’m not complying. I’m not submitting to re-education. I am not admitting that my viewpoints — many of which have, by the way, been entirely justified by the facts that have emerged since the complaints were levied — were either wrong or unprofessional.”
“I have done nothing to compromise those in my care; quite the contrary — I have served all my clients and the millions of people I am communicating with to the best of my ability and in good faith, and that’s that,” he wrote.
Judge Paul Schabas, part of the panel of superior court judges ruling on the matter, said it is irrelevant if “Dr. Peterson’s comments were supported by facts or were his honest opinion, as the concern arises from the nature of the language used, not the validity of his opinions.”
Reporting from The Blaze:
Jonah Arnold of the Association of Aggrieved Regulated Professionals of Ontario, a non-profit advocacy group that represents health care workers and other professionals who have experienced mistreatment by their regulators, told TheBlaze last month that this outcome would "affect the fundamental rights of about 400,000 professionals from all 29 regulated health professions in Ontario" and "could even affect other professionals including teachers, accountants, and lawyers." Arnold made clear in advance that were this decision ultimately made, regulators in Ontario and across Canada would be emboldened "to expand and overstep their regulatory authority and intrude into their registrants' personal lives."
