The Executive of the Captain William Jackman club that has been embroiled in so much controversy during 2010 finished the year at an all time low. The last meeting of the outgoing executive was held on November29. The very last decision made by that executive was to place a gag order on all club members preventing them from discussing club activities publicly. The “Privacy Policy” as it is called also threatens disciplinary action against any club member who does not obey the gag order. Here is the motion exactly as it reads in the minutes of that meeting:
Moved by: Basil Reddy
Seconded by: W. Squires
That any and all business conducted by the club is for the use of the members only. Any member who in any form relays any information to the public without the permission of the board of directors will be subject to whatever disciplinary actions deemed appropriate by the board of directors of the club
CARRIED
Any normal thinking person will immediately recognize this order as a blatant violation of member’s basic human rights to freedom of speech and expression. Basil Reddy (the creator of this policy) should, as a former police officer, certainly be aware of that fact. But this gag order goes farther than that. It not only infringes on basic human rights it contains a clear threat. It says that if you do not follow this order we will punish you. That threat of unspecified punishment aimed at senior citizens, I believe, constitutes elder abuse.
It is hard to comprehend that in this day and age senior citizens can be threatened in this way simply because they joined a social club for some enjoyment and may want to talk to their family and friends about their club and its activities.
It should be noted that at the first meeting of the new board on Feb 23, 2011 a motion to rescind this policy was made by board member Veronica Hynes seconded by Terry Hynes. The president Bill Birmingham (the same president who allowed the gag order in the first place) refused to entertain the motion. The motion was moved three separate times and each time the chair refused to acknowledge it. The meeting ended with the motion unaddressed and the gag order, with its threat, still in place on seniors in our community.
If this policy cannot be corrected by the members of the board of directors, which cannot happen as long as the president abuses his position to block debate and vote on the matter, then it must, and will be, placed before the Provincial Human Rights Commission.
If you are not a member of the Captain William Jackman Club I hope you did not read this. If you did I will face disciplinary action. I wonder what it will be?? “NOT the branding Iron!! Please NO!! Not the branding Iron!!”
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For the enlightenment of Basil Reddy, Bill Birmingham and the others who approved the gag order I offer the following information:
United Nations Charter
Freedom of speech is the inherent human right to voice one's opinion publicly without fear of censorship or punishment. "Speech" is not limited to public speaking and is generally taken to include other forms of expression. The right is preserved in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is granted formal recognition by the laws of most nations – including Canada.
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, provides, in Article 19, that: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Ca Section 2(b) of the Charter states that "Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: ... freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication."
Freedom of Information refers to the protection of the right to freedom of expression with regards to the Internet and information technology. Freedom of information is an extension of freedom of speech, a fundamental human right recognized in international law, which is today understood more generally as freedom of expression in any medium, be it orally, in writing, print, through the Internet or through art forms. This means that the protection of freedom of speech as a right includes not only the content, but also the means of expression.
