Regarding several letters from the Feb. 27 issue (“Letter: Time for Peller to cut ties with disgraced Gretzky,” “Letter: Character goes beyond hockey“) referencing Wayne Gretzky’s name taken off any Canadian business: The first thing I thought of was — this is “out and out” intolerance.

Anyone having an opinion other than the government, other than the government-funded mainstream media, other than your own … means that the other must go.

I refer also to Mr. Turner’s Turner Report of Feb. 20, when he reflected on the “intellectual freedom” in our town, which also applies to our country (“The Turner Report: When freedom to speak was no freedom at all“).

He recalled the firing of Cathy Simpson, when she wrote about “Freedom to Read Week” last year, and then got fired for her opinion. “Simpson’s argument that all viewpoints should be heard, was logical, but …” That’s the key … but.

If it goes against the mainstream, it is intolerable. Look at what intolerance did for Germany with the National Socialist German Workers’ Party in power.

Look at how Trudeau’s Liberals want to quash free speech with Bill 63, where you can be put in jail for expressing an opinion that may be misinterpreted or different, which Mr. Harley supported last year in an op-ed.

This Bill supposedly aims to prevent child abuse on the internet, however, the Criminal Code of Canada already has several points to cover that.

What happened to good old debates, using those good old-fashioned things called facts?

Do we even have debate clubs in high schools anymore, or is that too traditional?

How about a debate club at the community centre, based on facts, presented in a controlled and logical manner?

I’d pay to watch that for sure.