FWIS3

The Supreme Court of Canada has struck down the country's anti-prostitution laws in a unanimous decision, and given Parliament one year to come up with new legislation — should it choose to do so.

In striking down laws prohibiting brothels, living on the avails of prostitution and communicating in public with clients, the top court ruled Friday that the laws were over-broad and "grossly disproportionate."

"Parliament has the power to regulate against nuisances, but not at the cost of the health, safety and lives of prostitutes," wrote Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin in the 9-0 decision that noted "it is not a crime in Canada to sell sex for money."

Conservative MP Robert Goguen should not be welcome in the Conservative caucus. His stupid and cruel use of a victim of gang rape to help him score a cheap rhetorical joke was an offence not only to the woman who had to live through his glib hypothesizing about her experience, but also to the dignity of Parliament.

[...]

I can only imagine how it would feel to answer hypothetical questions about what I would have felt if my sexual assault had gone differently – asked in a committee hearing, in my second language, while strangers look on, clicking their pens and checking their smartphones. Even worse, to be asked a deliberately nonsensical hypothetical question, while the questioner smirks, and waits for me to fill the silence.

This is what Goguen did to Nagy.

[...]

For the record, nobody – nobody – has suggested that being raped is a form of expression. Because that would be irrational and offensive.

That is the straw man argument Robert Goguen tried to construct during Monday’s parliamentary committee hearing. It was a transparent attempt to make it look like his opponents were arguing something ridiculous, that they were prioritizing people’s rights over the safety of women – when in fact, the safety of women is the primary concern the Supreme Court has raised about the effects of criminalization.

And he chose to use Timea Nagy to set up the joke.

[...]

“You were describing a scenario where you were being raped, I believe, by three Russians. Let’s suppose the police authorities would have broken in and rescued you. Would your freedom of expression have been breached?”

Silence. Then Nagy said she didn’t understand the question, saying that English was her second language. Of course, it was not a problem of language at all. The question made no sense. Goguen pressed the question again, smirking.

“What I’m saying is you weren’t freely expressing yourself by being raped by three men … If you were rescued, you wouldn’t feel like your rights were violated? You don’t get it. OK.”

I can’t speak for Nagy. But I do know my own stomach lurched, and the faces of the people listening to this bizarre line of questioning suggest I wasn’t the only one.

Gullible Jones wrote:Edit: also, bonus points for screaming "Morals! Morals!" while being utter amoral hypocrites.

The Supreme Canuck wrote:Every lawyer in the country: You're either stupid or lying.