1 Hearing crowd debates free speech issue Collins testimony brings out [22% supporters and opponents BylanNoble News Reporter ion@nsnews.com ‘ BEFORE Doux Collins took the stand Wednesday at a human rights hearing, a few members of the raostly graying audience that packed a Howe Street Holiday Inn banquet room had their say, eer Asape Netra tu HL Prete At More than 65 people — far more then usually show up for tribunal proceedings — attended the hearing into whether the caustic columnist exposed Jews to hatred or contempt over ; a March 1994 piece headlined Hollywood propaganda, For many. attendees, the overriding Issue at stake is free- dom of speech: they just can’t come tv a consensus on what the limits to such freedoms should be. Lionel Kenner, wha arrived early and snagged a tront-row- centre seat, said Collins has abused his position as a colum: nist, and the North Shore News and Collins should issue the apology the Canadian Jewish Congress has demand- ed. NEWG photo Srad Lodwidge Kenner has locked horns with Collins before the B.C. COLLINS foe and North = Press Council over Kenner’s Shore resident Lionel alicgations that — Collins’ Kenner wants the = columns arc designed to mis- columnist to apologize. lead, Kenner now wants Collins - to cease and desist, h “I think it’s quite improper what Collins has been doing,” csaid, . : At the far side of the first row sat 66-year-old Max Viessing, one of two Holocaust survivors in his five-member family. He hasn't read Collins’ articles but said Collins is a racist and anti-Semite.’Viessing said there is not free speech because of its direct assaciation with powerful economic interests like those that own the News. ath Health care a By Steve Braverman Contributing Writer THE bad blood between two rival North Vancouver candidates is still flowing for half of the feuding pair. But a range of more meaningful issues from gun con- trol to child poverty were not overshad- owed by their grudge at the all-candidates meeting in the Highland United Church on Tuesday, Before a balcony-filled crowd, Liberal hopeful Warren Kinsella extended his arm as an olive branch in an attempt to shake hands with Reform incumbent Ted White. But White wouldn’t shake hands with Kinsella and glared at his opponent with an FRMUieiaeee insulted look on his face. it was the third Be Gnsihe time since the election call that Kinsella has 22eseue tried to press flesh with White. The Liberal challenger can’t understand why White won’t put this behind them. “I don’t know,” Kinsella said. “There has been too much acrimony on both sides —- Reform and Liberal. I think it’s hurting everyone. [1 doesn’t help me, it doesn’t help Mr. White. I thought it would be a good idea to patch things up right here in front of everyone,” Speech “If we want to maintain a free society the press with all its power should be held responsible at cer- tain times,” he sald, “When it comes to human dignity ... hurt- Ing people ... exploiting people ... and exploiting very intricate historical human issttes like the Holocaust then it can become an issue and should be dealt with,” But others see the debate-stirring columnists efforts differ: ently, Seated to Kenner’s left sat North Vancouver's Fred Jacklin, a loyal Collins reader who doesn’t always agree with the 76- year-old writer’s opinions, Jacklin teed off on the NDP’s 1993 amendments to the Human Rights Act which paved the way for the prosecution of Collins, He said the legislation has everybody looking over their shoulders. “1 think this law has stepped beyond the beundary of what this country stands for,” he said. “You have the right to be wrong.” ; Jacklin: wants the law struck down “so people can go back to being themselves and saying what they think,” His wite Jessie added she doesn’t want to hurt anyone but she also wants to say what she feels, “We're not all going to look at history with the same view, are we?” she said, Sitting at the back of the standing-room-only heaing was Jackie Mackin Byrn, a Vancouver freelance writer who worked at the Vancouver Courier in the late 1970s when Coltins was a Courier writer. Byrn, who has had a publication ban she can’t talk about imposed on her, said her interest is free speech. “For our society to function effectively there has to be room for mary voices,” she said. She said she's interested in the role of the Human Rights Commission in the effort to silence the strong voice of Collins, She agrees with Collins that the media is the watchdog of government, “For the government to attempt to be the watchdog of the key On Trial. NEWS photo Paul McGrath NORTH Vancouver populist politician Ted White makes his Reform party pitch. HUMAN rights tribunal chairman Nitya Collins while trying to keep order during Friday, May 80, 1887 = North Shore News =~ 3 ye : « ' RMWE prota Urnd Lederkige r tistons to News colummist Doug edniesday's Hollday Inn session. media concerns me,” she said, She added that special interest groups may feel victimized by certain opinions, but as we move toward a multicultural society we have to be tolerant of differens points of view, West End resident LeRoy Nelson called free speech the basis of our society and supported Collins. He said he’s only read one Collins column, which he picked up out of curiosity. No apology, Collins vows From page \ statements, ‘To loud applause, he said; “They could hang me up by the heels and they wouldn’t get an apology.” But Collins conceded that in the wake of the government's 1993 changes to the Human Rights Code, he has found writ- ing about Jewish issues, immigration or other tough issues “inhibiting,” He sald he has been prevented from writing books because of the time spent defending himself in this case. “I can only deseribe this as a process of harassment.” Collins, who detailed a journalistic carcer dating from 1944, said a good columnist writes about issues others have ignored, “... But to say that I deny the Holocaust is a canard,” Under cross-examination by CJC lawyer Gregory Walsh, Collins agreed that words can cause harm but said hate is “open to many different interpretations.” ' The columnist, who became a freclance contributor for the News in 1984 after a career with — among others — the Calgary Herald, the Vancouver Sun, ‘The Province and the CBC, said he “never once referted to ail Jews” in his piece. A good columnist, said Collins, is not out to wir friends bur to open eyes: “A columnist is not there to please people or to get people to feel happy.” The hearing continues at the police commission boardroom at 815 Hornby St. in Vancouver. issue in N. Van White was not apologetic for his decision because the wounds run too deep, | “Pm not going to shake hands with someone who says | used my three years as an MP as a soapbox for my racist friends,” he said. As for issues discussed at the meeting, the state of Canada’s ailing health care system was a popular subject, White took some flack for his party’s plan to create a parallel set of private health care services. Bue he insists it wouldn’r create a two-tiered health care system, one for the rich and one for the poor. “We want to recapture the $9 billion a year that goes down to the United States,” White said, referring to the thousands of Canadians who cross-border shop for health care. Dennis Prouse, the articulate Progressive Conservative candidate, has ill-feelings about private health care options for those who can afford it. “Pm worried there will be a pushing down of public heath care standards,” he said. White doubts that will happen, “There's evidence that it will bring the stan- dards up,” White argued. “Anywhere there's competition, the standards go up.” Independent candidate Dallas Collis is con- cerned that a private paralfel health-care system will create dangerous attitudes in the rich and middle class. “Pretty soon people that can afford to will opt out, And then they will start saying, ‘Why should J support people who can’t afford it)? ”