‘It Takes Bravery’: Speakers Raise Free-Speech Concerns at Calgary Conference

From hate-speech legislation to the social cost of voicing unpopular views, Canadians face growing pressure over what they can say publicly, a series of speakers at a Calgary free speech conference said. Will Witt, an American author and contributor to conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA, told the audience that recent legislation, combined with the social consequences of expressing unpopular views, is leaving conservatives fearful of speaking their minds. “It takes a bravery of the people to actually make that truth be heard,” Witt said at the Reclaiming Alberta Conference, organized by advocacy group We Unify. The two-day conference on Oct. 3 and 4 focused on free speech, individual rights, and the future of Western society. The event featured speakers ranging from lawyers and journalists to political figures, activists, and religious leaders....