The human rights and free speech controversy involving Mark Steyn and Maclean’s raised the issue of the role and importance of Human Rights Commissions in Canada.

Omar interviewed a human rights lawyer, Pearl Eliadis, who recently wrote an article in Montreal’s Maisonneuve magazine called “The Controversy Entrepreneurs”.

He also interviewed Donna Seale, former Co-Counsel for the Manitoba Human Rights Commission.

Devin Johston provided an excellent summary of the episode, which can also be found on Law is Cool.

Ronald Reagan once said,

Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps through the walls topped by barbed wire, it wafts across the electrified borders.

A lot has changed since Reagan’s time, specifically the use of technology to transmit information through mediums such as the Internet.

But what is the impact on politics?

This was the subject of a session at the MaRS Centre entitled The Permanent Campaign.

Renowned technology expert and journalist, Jesse Hirsh, moderated a panel of speakers on the subject which included:

• Omar Ha-Redeye – First-year law student at the University of Western Ontario
• Gillian Moody – PR Professional
• Andrew Coyne – National Editor of Maclean’s magazine
• Andrea Moffat – President and owner of Divercity Consultants
• Stephen Taylor – The Blogging Tories

Prof. Greg Elmer, Director of the Infoscape research lab, Ryerson University, Toronto, gave the introductory plenary.

Jesse Hirsh has provided an overview of the event.