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Higgs villainized teachers, Indigenous people in debate performance – NB Media Co-op

October 3, 2024

During last week’s debate, Blaine Higgs was asked by moderator Clare MacKenzie about the flyers that Campaign Life Coalition has recently distributed across New Brunswick. It would appear this question caused Higgs some measure of anxiety. His barely-coherent response suggests he was struggling with the difficult task of speaking clearly while evidently trying to deceive the public.

Higgs did, however, say two words worth exploring: free speech. In his answer to MacKenzie, Higgs said, “I just want to say that it’s the free speech that’s happening there that is not related to what either I agree with or don’t agree with.” If we parse this garbled utterance, it would appear Higgs is doing his best Voltaire impression as he affirms the importance of free speech to a democratic society.

There is no doubt that free speech is essential for a functioning democracy. Further, when we dig a little deeper into this concept, we quickly discover that the necessary precondition for free speech is a mind not beholden to power. Only when a person is free from the constraints of power can they see clearly, think clearly and speak truthfully. Thus, freedom of speech is more than an abstract concept, there is a social aspect to it. These are truisms that have been well understood for centuries.

Read More: https://nbmediacoop.org/2024/10/03/higgs-villainized-teachers-indigenous-people-in-debate-performance/

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