Hundreds have gathered outside the College of Psychologists of Ontario’s headquarters in downtown Toronto to rally in support of Dr. Jordan Peterson and free speech.
People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier also attended, calling the witch hunt against Peterson “political oppression.”
“That’s happening to him and that happened to other Canadians so we must stop that. Living in a free country, you’re not supposed to have regulations and legislation that suppress our freedom to speak,” Bernier said.
Peterson is not in attendance at the rally, having prior commitments in Europe.
Rally goers are donning Canadian flags and banners reading “Trudeau must go” and “Freedom is essential.”
Many drivers honked their horns as they passed the rally.
On Tuesday, Peterson revealed all the College of Psychologists of Ontario’s complaints against him, which is ordering the psychologist to undergo social media re-education training.
Last week, Peterson said the College mandated him to attend a “coaching session” for social media or risk losing his clinical license.
One complaint was about Peterson’s social media usage “directed at the prime minister using language that is unprofessional and embarrassing to the profession,” while also saying an exchange Peterson had with former Trudeau advisor Gerald Butts was “threatening, abusive and harassing.”
Peterson also released his response to the College.
“Go ahead and investigate. Take whatever steps you deem necessary.”
“I am simply not going to spend the hours and days required to undergo the unbelievably stressful process necessary to respond to this formally because one of the millions of people who follow me on social media took offense to one thing I said at one point,” he said.
Peterson says none of the complaints came from his past or present patients or their acquaintances. He also said he would not attend the re-education training.
