On a warm summer evening, the Barrhead/Neerlandia ARPA group teamed up with MPs Rob Merrifield and Brian Storseth to host a public forum in their community about the infamous human rights commissions and Mr. Storseth’s Bill C-304, which recently passed in the House of Commons and is currently in the Senate. “It is important that we never again give up our fundamental freedoms to the bureaucracy and to government” Storseth noted in a video interview with ARPA. “That is ours as Canadians to protect and defend and decide on, not somebody else, and we can never give those powers over to the bureaucracy because it will only be abused and expanded at that point in time.”

Mr. Storseth encouraged the audience to carry on with the progress by making similar changes to the equivalent sections of the provincial human rights legislation. He also made a point of thanking you, our readers, for your efforts to have his bill passed in the House of Commons. 

Local media and approximately 60 residents from the area came out to hear Mr. Storseth speak, a majority of whom came from outside the ARPA circles. Peter VanAssen, chair of the group, explained that “a couple weeks earlier we had been approached by the office of our own MP, Rob Merrifield, to help host an evening for MP Brian Storseth to present the importance of having his private members bill C-304 (the removal of section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act regarding hate speech) passed. Our ARPA group set up the event, had SUFF pamphlets and other brochures available, and thanked both MPs in attendance for this opportunity.” VanAssen was very impressed with Mr. Storseth’s presentation. “Brian was very well spoken on the topic of freedom of speech and answered questions from the floor after his presentation.”

VanAssen encouraged other ARPA readers to press on. “Let us, as ARPA groups across Canada, continue to push for this same result of getting the appropriate sections of provincial Human Rights Codes repealed. MP Storseth encouraged us to do so.”