2017/01/23: Social Justice/Freedom of Speech: Bill C16 Debate Queen's Law School 

Just so you know Professor Pardy is playing devil's advocate in this devate

Hey folks, this will probably get buried, but I was one of the organizers of this debate. My name is Daly Canie and I am the Runnymede Chapter President at Queen's Law (you can creep my FB or linkedin if you really want confirmation). Just to clear things up: 1) The camera cut out at a few parts in the debate (my bad). Nothing was intentionally edited out. 2) As Prof. Peterson mentions, Prof. Pardy graciously agreed to play devil's advocate because we had some difficulty finding a faculty member willing to debate Prof. Peterson 3) Keep in mind this debate happened at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada. Canada's speech laws are VERY different from those in the US. Edit: For those of you wondering what was said at 51:00, the individual made a statement regarding the difference between the Human Rights Commission and Tribunal. They also stated that the Tribunal is incredibly "conservative" in their application of the law. Prof. Peterson reminded this person that this was a Q&A period (she asked a question later on in the Q&A). After this, I asked Profs. Peterson and Pardy to opine on the state of hate speech law in Canada, specifically, whether or not they thought the case of R v. Keegstra was wrongly decided. At this point Prof. Pardy revealed that he was playing devil's advocate, and did not actually believe anything he said. This is what they are answering when the filming resumes.

Wait, that dude is playing devils advocate? He is easily outclassing every single supporter of this law I have heard yet.

To spare Professor Pardy from getting killed on the internet: READ THE DESCRIPTION!!

if this man doesn't actually believe these things, as the devil's advocate, I think he did a great job at representing the other side.

Dear Professor Peterson: I just wanted to say this: you rock, man! Keep on fighting!

Haha, pretty incredible how the only person you could find to debate you actually agrees with you.

Professor Pardy was an excellent speaker. I found it refreshing compared to the TVO and UoT debates.

I identify as being 70 years old, can I receive my retirement and social security now?

Professor Peterson please eat more and keep your strength up💪🖖✌We all need you fighting fit ✊👊👍

"The sign of an intelligent mind is the ability to entertain an idea without accepting it." ~Some Wise Dead Greek Dude

Dropping Louis C.K., Simpsons, and Yogi Bear references in a philosophical debate about Freedom of Speech. Yes.

Dr. Peterson, you are a hero.

you could tell he struggled to believe his own words as he was debating Jordan. and once he finished his rebuttal you see the relief was over his face. it's a hard job fighting for something you don't believe.

Discovering Jordan Peterson was an epiphany. I sent his 2 hr 40 minute Joe Rogan interview to family. Everyone was slack jawed. And we could not look away.

As a U.S. viewer, I was delighted to watch this debate. After UC Berkeley riots, we down here could stand some intelligent discourse of this caliber about free speech at our universities.

Listening to Prof. Peterson is a gift.

Millennials won't understand the absolute heroism of Prof. Jordan Peterson today.

It's amazing how people who defend Bill C-16 insist that gender is dettached from sex.

"There is no such thing as freespeech because we have laws that prohibits freespeech".... and im only 7min in.... Edit: I was not aware that Pardy was playing devil's advocate when initially making this comment. Good debate overall.

Mr Peterson, thank you for all that you do. From London, UK.

I am increadibly glad to see such a reasonable debate between two so very reasonable people. Anyone defending the law should be happy with having Prof. Pardy as their spokesperson even though he is playing devil's advocate. I think he made an excellent case. It is very apparent that he is a lawyer in how clear and to the point he makes his case. In some ways I might even say I prefer his speech over Prof. Peterson's, although I don't support his side. Jordan way of speaking is much more "jumpy". He has so much to say and so many ways of saying it (so many stories related and so many metaphores), it can seem he sometimes have a hard time chosing which way to present something. This is a good way to lecture and discuss, but not debate or present your arguments. He seems much more at home in the questions and answers section in the end where he gave some amazing answers. This kind of situation has happened before btw. We already have a neutral pronoun in Swedish, but it is definatly not enforced by law. It was created some years ago now. It is used to describe people who don't feel they fit as he or she, but is also used when you speak of someone doing something, without knowing the gender of that person (in places where you would have to write "he/she"). It has some opponents (some argue it is a bit ugly and I can agree to a point with that) but for most people it seemed useful enough to use in our daily lives. When someone asks me to use it to describe them (has only happened once) I would almost certainly try my best to use it. This would be because I usually find it easier to work with people if they like what I call them. As the professors called it: a negotiation, something to be gained by both sides. But if they would force me to call them something, I am not that sure I would like to work with them anymore. It does not make for good cooperation to require something from the other one at step one.

Great debate! I am happy to see that professor Peterson is still doing well. God bless you, professor Peterson!

Mr Peterson, you've been a joy to discover. Thank you for your empassioned and capable defense of free speech.

Thank you deeply for your service my froggy hero!

Dear professor Peterson, thank you for holding and publishing these kinds of debates, you're doing world-improving work, and you're helping the real transsexual community in the process. Thanks for standing up against insanity! -a transsexual

Jordan. I am a graduate student in Mathematics down the street from you (U Waterloo). I want to sincerely thank you. The people in this comment section build you up. I want you to know that you do have faults, and I do not agree with you on everything, but you have really opened my mind a lot. I am always so glad for your wisdom. P.S Seriously, I'll catch a GoBus down there anytime to chat with you over a pint.

Wow Jordan your channel blew up. I'm so happy to see this, as you've surpassed your own goal by so much.

Professor Bruce Pardy is a very good speaker. It is very enjoyable to hear both sides of the argument laid out this well.

I had the pleasure of attending this (very crowded) event. Both Professor Peterson and Pardy put on a very entertaining debate!

Like tetris blocks sliding into place, the truth just fits. I have sat in contemplation of the points you made during this debate for the past hour or so and felt them to be as solid a truth as I've come across for a long time. I plan to read more and build myself a foundation of thought that I can use to grow a more real version of who I am in my thoughts. I appreciate the uploading of your lectures very much. Thank you.

Although this comment is not directly on-topic, I wanted to take a brief moment to express my appreciation for the lectures, interviews, discussions and videos that you post. I discovered you over the whole transgender/free speech issue and have since watched several of your lectures (and still do). Thank you for making these available to the general public.

The absolute bottom line is that THE NUMBER OF GENDERS THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE EXIST IS A PART OF EVERY PERSON'S RELATIONSHIP TO GENDER. I am a woman. I define my gender as the binary opposite to a man. 'Recognizing' the existence of other made-up genders would be to change my own relationship to gender as part of an insane web and not a binary. To force me to call you Xir instead of he or she forces ME to make a statement on my own gender; that I define it in a way that can allow for yours and I WILL NEVER DO THAT. I'm also a TRANS woman, by the way, so this insanity is literally oppressing actual, diagnosed trans people and imposing limits on what gender identities real - binary - trans people can believe in!!

Dr Peterson, you are a real modern day Hero and we can't thank you enough for your commitment to the truth. You are a role model to whole world, even if they don't know it.

I wish I had more educators like Prof. Pardy & Peterson when I was in school. Very refreshing to watch this debate, hear the arguments and viewpoints provided, and gain further insight & perspective into the issues. Kudos.

Mr Peterson, you style of leacutring is the best Ive ever encountered. Thank you Sir, for doing what you do!

i love how peterson just walks into the room and drops his knowledge onto them without introducing himself.

I hope the UofT organizers of the first so called "debate" watch this and learn the difference between an inquisition with 3 SJW prosecutors and a civilized debate. Congratulations Runnymede Society for showing UofT how this is done in a civilized and respectful way. I think and hope that telling the truth and then just watching what happens may reward handsomely and unexpectedly. From my point of view I see improvement already. Special thanks to Professor Pardy for helping this debate to continue.

so glad I never payed to go to go into debt in university. I feel like I've learned so much more from watching lectures and debates online then discussing them with my peers, than schooling has ever taught me. Keep it up Mr Peterson.

Brilliant as usual Professor Peterson. Please come to Australia, I would really like to see you speak in person. Keep up the good work!

At roughly 51:00, a part of the video seemingly disappears. What happened during that skip?

I love me a good debate.

I came across Prof Peterson through his daughter (her youtube video with Joe Rogan talking about the change of diet due to chronic long term health issues which has lead to a remarkable recovery). I was baffled about the furore in Canada about 'C16' gender issues and compelled speech. Research of both sides quickly lead me to realise the Prof Peterson is the real deal. He is head and shoulders above EVERYONE who attempts to entrap him. No one can get near his eloquent speech and huge intellect. No wonder no one would debate him. Not only is he right, he will take on all comers to protect Canada's (and the world's) future.

"They couldn't get another law professor to argue devil's advocate." Dr. Peterson is clearing a path for others to be rational in the face of widespread insanity. Thank you.

I think it is very clear that Pardy was simply there to fill a role. He clearly doesn't believe what he is saying.

I love that the issue is debated. I'm more in the ''Left'' in the political spectrum, but the whole violence, censorship, identity politics, ideas going with status quo from the ''radical left'' disgust me, I ashame to tell I'm more a ''leftist'' guy sometime.

It is so immensly gratifying see Jordan's views on this law develop during time. It's so strong now I can't but admire it.

Hearing Prof Pardy’s articulate defense of the proposition was extremely helpful to me. His presentation helped me get past my personal revulsion to C16 and to hear “the other side of the story”. Also, it is always highly enjoyable to watch JP in a debate, any debate

I identify as a thermonuclear weapon.

If someone refuses to call you Dr. and calls you Mr. may be annoying but hardly necessitating the government forcing one to use the preferred word upon penalty of law. Governments love to be overreaching.

Thank you Dr. Peterson. Your continued efforts are very inspiring!

I truly enjoyed this. These are the professors we need in universities to teach our children. Thank you very much!

I'm confronted by my own iniquitous tendency to demonise the opposition. My entire view of Prof Pardy changed the moment I realised he was playing devils advocate. He went from slimy, self satisfied poseur to rugged, earnest mentor. It is extraordinarily interesting to ponder the root psychology of political affiliation. I have heard suggestions that collectivism is favoured by weaker males as a strategy for outcompeting stronger alphas although this is most assuredly an oversimplification.

I think hate speech should be considered free speech. I'd rather have the hate out in the open than have it be locked inside a person's mind. When it's outside, I can confront it, debate it, or even condemn it. But today, we just jump the gun to silence such speech, which does more harm than good. In 1978, the ACLU took a controversial stand for free speech by defending a neo-Nazi group that wanted to march through the Chicago suburb of Skokie, where has this attitude gone today?

you are so well spoken, it's very refreshing to hear you talk

Professor Pardy argued better than anyone I've seen before in favor of C-16. The fact that he was playing devil's advocate shows how important it is to understand the opposing view in articulating a sound argument. Thank you both.

Pardy gave a better defense of the argument than most people who believe it.

Professor, I want to be like you when I grow up ♡

Thank you Profs. Peterson and Pardy (and the organizers) for presenting this debate. It was refreshing, enlightening, and heartening. :-)

I discovered Dr. Peterson a few days ago and he's now my mentor.

2) the law ought to be c)gender Sure, you can open the word "gender" up to all kinds of subjective interpretations, but it completely devalues the idea of "gender". I will never ever care about anyones gender again, and only wonder about their "sex". And it's not out of spite or anything, but I just won't care about it anymore if it's not descriptive of anything I am capable of grasping, all that's left to care about is whether you've got dangli bits or not. Your personal and subjective exploration of your gender is just not my problem. Nor should it be! So we'll end up back on square one...

Last time i checked calling Hitler he or him wasnt me respecting him. More of acknoweledge that Hitler was male. Seems like this whole pro noun thing is about validating self identification.

I love Prof. Peterson. He forces you into horrific thoughts and extreme possibilities and to work those muscles in your head and I love him for it. This is the kind of sharpening of minds that our generation needs and the kind of education that I wish I had. Keep fighting the good fight, Prof. Peterson.

One nugget of wisdom after another, love it!

Professor Peterson, I suggest you bring a linguist to your next debate. I think it would help your case as you are familiar with what you are talking about but I see that most of the students in the audience are not, so you had to correct them when that one person started mixing adjectives and pronouns and the other one didn't believe you that pronouns are a closed linguistic category. I believe having a linguist there, who can clearly and very precisely explain the nature of language would help your cause just that little bit.

LOVE YOU JORDAN PLS REPLY TO MAKE ME FEEL SPECIAL :DDDD

Brilliant video! Thank you so much Professors Pardy & Peterson.

Much respect to Dr. Pardy he did an admirable job in bringing up valid points in the beginning but as the debate went on you could see it being dismantled easily by Peterson. Not for a lack of trying though, but the illogical fallicies and the underlying issues were becoming glaringly obvious and it was as if he was trying to build a house on sand. On a unrelated note I'm extremely happy I found your channel Dr. Peterson and I hope that you keep making videos.

What happened to the chattering demon at 51:00?

Oh shit let's go

I appreciate the timestamps on the bottom of the description.

What a great exchange of ideas! It was incredibly useful, informative and educational...the importance of free speech stands ever more clear. Thank you for uploading this, professor Peterson!

I'm confused. These guys seem to be arguing the same side. It's good because it reinforces the message but I thought it was a debate.

Dammit, I wanted to be an attack helicopter.

Thank you for the upload and thanks to everyone making it possible. Very interesting points made. I love watching these videos because I acctually feel like learning something by doing it. Not only about the topic but about myself. Prof. Peterson is a genius in that regard. Every time you watch him you feel smarter just by listening.

This was a fascinating debate, so much better than the one at UoT. Professor Pardy was very smart and charismatic, and able to argue the points using very logical points of views that actually did cause me to think harder about it and maybe reconsider. I think it would take me a while to figure that out as I spend time battling it out in my own head like Professor Peterson was talking about. These are the types of conversations that can actually help our country move forward and bring us closer together as opposed to driving us further apart. And Pardy was playing ADVOCATE, so he wasn't even using his own views necessarily. These two together could get some real work done I bet.

Doctor Peterson i'm *dying* to know your conclusion on prayer. Is it purely for us as humans to bolster our faith or is it heard by God? Do you think we can communicate with God?

Dr. Peterson, I read the Gulag Archipelago because of your recommendation and to fill the Soviet Union hole in my education. What do you say to those who claim the USSR wasn't real Marxism?

Jordan was particularly on his game here. I mean... he was able to apply his teachings, but he was able to improvise at the same time. Really magical stuff here. Jordan is a special communicator of ideas. He should be celebrated.

I enjoyed this "debate" immensely. I know Professor Pardy was only on the opposing side for oppositions sake, but the points that both these great men have made will resonate with my very being till the day I die. I am most definitely going to refer to and quote this debate every time gender/pronoun politics come up. I hope that one day I can meet Professor Peterson in person and pick his brain for a few moments! Greetings from Minnesota! Cheers, MMS

Dam the cameraman needs to stop touching the god dam mic...

Not watched it yet but it's obvious Dr. Peterson wins.

Professor Pardy actually did a very good job playing Devil's advocate, he brought up all the points I was expecting to hear and even some that I didn't. Plus, he wasn't interrupting and Mocking Dr. Peterson, like the rest of the debaters I've seen. You both did a very great job.

Very much enjoyed the debate by these two fine professors. Dr. Pardy was a joy to watch and represented the SJW side very well, which is great because I feel like he has presented their side the most reasonably despite simply playing devil's advocate. Thank you very much for this upload, Jordan.

Brave guy to go up against Peterson.

Dr. Peterson is Kek's chosen. Shadilay!

Thanks for this. More people with apposing but considered views please! It's a joy to experience and not common enough.

It was a great pleasure to watch a debate between two reasonable people, instead of the ad hominem that permeates the other debates Peterson has had. Good job to both.

The fact that fucking pronouns are considered an "important conversation" and a "provocative debate" is absolutely ridiculous.

This is the most amazing debate about this I have ever seen.

It has been years since I have seen a debate where the presenters can entertain both sides and evolve in knowledge together. For example, Dr. Peterson's answer to a student at 1:11:20 was such a profound and comprehensive understanding of the social constructionist perspective that he was able to both explain and critique the philosophy within the same response. In my mind that is an honorable position as it builds upon knowledge instead of falling victim to fallacious reasoning or misconceptions that often serve as an antecedent for the current in-group vs. out-group tribalism we see springing up everywhere.

I've only just reached Peterson's introduction but I had to comment on how phenomenal even those few minutes were. Stunning impact.

Professor Pardy here did a really good job, espicially since it wasn't his view from what I understand. You did very well too Dr. Peterson it was a nice, clean and interesting debate. Something society should do more often. Less riot with signs and broken windows and cars in flames and more talking. So keep talking Dr. Peterson

Professor Pardy did a great job playing devil's advocate. What a refreshingly pleasant and professionally conducted debate, and professor Peterson killed it (as usual)!

Why were sections of this debate cut out? I'm especially interested in what happened after the third question was being asked... 50:53

I could listen to Prof. Peterson talk for hours

Mister Peterson, I admire you for what you do.

Best debate I think I've ever seen on these topics. Shame that only a devil's advocate could provide the level of respect and reasonableness and specificity required for such good discourse.

Also, can I say, Damn! love Peterson but Pardy made a great case too. I love it when someone does the opposition justice. Great stuff!

Be careful what you say, for it becomes what you think. Be careful what you think, for it becomes what you believe. Be careful what you you believe, for it becomes who you are.