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Jordan Peterson says he has no intention of giving up his battle with Ontario’s psychologist regulator, accusing the college of trying to stifle his speech and discipline him for his political views.
The Ontario College of Psychologists ordered Peterson — who has gained international fame for his best-selling self-help books and lectures — to undergo a media training program, saying some of his tweets may be “derogatory” to the profession and even raise questions about his abilities as a psychologist.
Peterson, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Toronto, has sparked controversy over his views on women, masculinity and gender identity, namely his refusal to use people’s preferred pronouns.
Peterson rejected the regulator’s request, arguing that the tweets cited by the college had nothing to do with the psychology profession.
The case also raised broader questions about freedom of expression and whether the board overstepped its authority by sanctioning the controversial psychologist for his views.
“I can either stop, or give up, or join the demands, or continue the fight. And I’m not stopping,” Peterson said in a phone interview with CBC News.
To clarify: a decision has been made: I either undergo social media communication retraining or face a disciplinary hearing and possible suspension of my clinical license and right to represent myself as a psychologist https://t.co/qmsje8flyN
—@jordanbpeterson
Peterson’s battle with the college has won him allies among free-speech advocates, and he’s received support from public figures such as Conservative Party leader Pierre Poillievre and Tesla and Twitter chief Elon Musk.
James Turk, director of the Center for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, said that while he opposes many of Peterson’s views, he is “deeply disturbed” by the college’s actions.
“There is no reason for the board of psychologists to try to stop him from expressing these views.”
“It is truly alarming … in a democratic society when a professional organization feels it has the right to censor the political speech of any members over whom it has regulatory authority.”
Peterson said his fight with the college isn’t just about him, it’s about the idea that a regulatory body backed by state power could try to silence someone by “jeopardizing their livelihood.”
Tweets lead to disciplinary action
Peterson said he no longer treats patients and has instead focused his career on social and political commentary.
Some of these views led to disciplinary action against him by the regulatory body, which ordered him to take a remedial media training course. Peterson has declined and has filed a judicial review and “notice of constitutional question” regarding the constitutional validity of certain college bylaws with the Ontario Superior Court.
He denies bringing the profession into disrepute, saying the opposite is true.
“I think I’ve done clearly more than any psychologist has ever done to raise the prestige and credibility of the practice of psychology around the world,” Peterson said.
Free speech is not free unless people are allowed to disagree. pic.twitter.com/c4KUc0ezy7
—@PierrePoilievre
In an email to CBC News, the college said it was not authorized to discuss Peterson’s case due to confidentiality concerns.
But the college committee investigating Peterson has ordered him to complete a “specified continuing education or remedial program” to address issues related to professionalism in public statements.
He must also pay for the program or face charges of professional misconduct, which could result in the suspension of his license to practice psychology.
Peterson gave up his clinical practice when he gained a global profile, but said he did not want to give up his clinical license.
“I deserve it. I’ve earned it. I’ve done nothing to warrant his suspension and I don’t want to give the bones to the hyenas.”
Complaints to the College
Last year, the college launched an investigation into Peterson after receiving public complaints about statements he made on Twitter.
The complaints centered on tweets Peterson made about public health restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. The panel followed up on the concerns, looked at other tweets made by Peterson, and noted particular concern with a series of statements that included:
- Referring to Kathryn McKenney, an Ottawa city councilor who prefers to use the pronouns they/them, as “a horrible self-righteous moralizing thing.”
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A tweet in which he used the dead name of actor Elliott Page, saying: “Remember when pride was a sin. And Ellen Page just had her breasts removed by a forensic doctor.”
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A tweet in which he referred to Gerald Butts, former chief secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as a “prick” (sic).
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His tweet in response to Sports Illustrated’s cover of a plus-size model’s swimsuit, in which he said: “Sorry. It’s not pretty. And no amount of authoritarian tolerance will change that.”
Peterson was temporarily suspended from Twitter for his tweet about Page. His account was reinstated by Elon Musk shortly after he purchased the social media platform in 2022.
After the review, the panel concluded that Peterson’s conduct “poses moderate risks to the public,” which include the potential to “undermine public confidence in the profession of psychology and confidence in the college’s ability to regulate the profession in the public interest.”
sorry It’s not pretty. And no amount of authoritarian tolerance will change that. https://t.co/rOASeeQvee
—@jordanbpeterson
The panel said it recognized Peterson had a constitutional right to free speech, but said as a member of the panel, Peterson had a duty to uphold his professional standards.
Peterson’s comments, the panel also concluded, “raise questions about Dr. Peterson’s ability to fulfill his responsibilities as a psychologist.”
The college said his comments about Page and McKenney, for example, revealed Peterson “may have engaged in derogatory, demeaning and unprofessional comments.”
However, Peterson said his tweets on topics such as gender dysphoria were based on his informed knowledge and were in fact “professional of the highest order”.
Allegation of political motivation
The complaints against him, he said, are being made by the political left, and the college’s motivations for going after him are clearly political and one-sided.
The college failed to prove any harm to the targets of his tweets, he said.
Asked if the college has any role in policing speech, even speech that might, for example, be blatantly racist, Peterson said, “If you give the board the right to harass speech outside the narrow realm of professional customer interactions, then you’ve opened the door to ideological conquest of the colleges.
“Which one is more dangerous? It’s not obvious.”
The Ontario College of Psychologists has expressed concern about a number of tweets by Jordan Peterson, including one in which he called Gerald Butts, former chief secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a “scumbag” (sic). (The Canadian Press)
Peterson’s petition for judicial review alleges that the college’s disciplinary actions were “unreasonable and unduly disruptive [his] free expression in violation of his Charter rights.” Peterson’s public statements did not relate to the practice of psychology, were political in nature, and “fell within the core of protected speech.”
Another freedom of expression expert says the case raises questions about the reach of public regulators.
Richard Moon, a law professor at the University of Windsor, said the college’s actions raised some “difficult questions” about the scope of a professional body’s power to monitor the speech of an individual member of the profession.
“When it’s outside the scope of that immediate professional relationship, what boundaries are acceptable or justified to ensure that someone behaves professionally and doesn’t bring the profession into disrepute in some way?”
“And so there’s a lot of room for debate and disagreement.”
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