The columnist Mark Steyn is at the centre of a free speech court case in Canada because a magazine published part of his book on Islam.
The article was called ‘The Future Belongs to Islam’ and was an extract from Mr Steyn’s book, ‘America alone: the end of the world as we know it’
The article claimed that Islam has “global ambitions” and the West lacks the will to rebuff it.
Complaints were made against the magazine by Muslims who say the article exposed them to religious hatred.
The publishers and the editor of the magazine, Maclean’s, are now in court accused of breaking British Columbia’s human rights laws.
The case has raised concerns that Canada’s human rights laws have gone too far and encroach on free speech.
It has been compared to that of a Christian pastor in Canada who has recently been banned from ever criticising homosexuality in public.
At the end of the week-long tribunal, one of the magazine’s representatives, Julian Porter QC, said in a statement: “Remember that these five days have been about Maclean’s vital detailed opinion. It is what journalism does for liberty. Part of the essential trade of ideas and argument.”
Mr Steyn has ‘dared’ the tribunal to rule against the magazine. He said: “We want to lose so we can take it to a real court and if necessary up to the Supreme Court of Canada and we can get the ancient liberties of free-born Canadian citizens that have been taken away from them by tribunals like this.
“We want those ancient civil liberties restored.”
The outcome of the hearing is expected soon.