Limiting Speech is Limiting Freedom Médéric Audet-Chalifour

Everybody is different.  Everybody has their own opinions, thoughts, and beliefs, they vary from person to person.  Should one persons beliefs be discounted or prohibited because it offends someone else?  No!  Controversies over the freedom of speech have erupted all around the globe.  First of all the freedom of speech is protected in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  Being terminated or punished for speaking your mind should not be a crime in a country where we are free of doing so.  Limiting speech is limiting freedom!

First of all, freedom of speech is protected as a fundamental freedom by section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  Since April 17, 1982 people living in Canada were legally authorized to criticize subjects and let others hear their opinion without being punished.  According to the law, we are free to express how we feel about sensible topics.  If freedom of speech would not exist how could we know the opposing arguments?  How could a prime minister or president know if his people do not agree with his actions?  How could a country progress without new ideas or other solutions to what has already been proposed?

Secondly, speaking your mind should not be a crime.  There have been many reports of people all over the country being fired over posts on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.  Being terminated or suspended for exposing your opinion should not be allowed in a country who's charter of rights contains the freedom of speech and expression.  People are expected to act professionally when they are in the workplace.  When an employee is on his/her personal time their words should not be used as grounds for punishment.  Take the Eagles gate operator as an example.  He was fired after publishing a post on Facebook about not agreeing with one of the team managements decisions, he later deleted that post.  His thoughts had nothing to do with him not doing his job correctly.  We should not be terminated because we privately disagree with our superiors decisions.

To finish off, think about what limiting speech would create in this society.  First of all because the freedom of speech is protected in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  Being terminated or punished should not be a crime in a country where we are free of doing so.  Limiting speech is limiting freedom.  If we are not free to express our feelings, then what makes our working conditions different to a slave who must stick with what his owner says?  Limiting the freedom of speech would create a lot of violence.  People would be unable to speak about their disagreements so instead they would act.  They would rebel against the government for one single reason.  To have their voices heard!