This letter has been created in response to the Centre in the Square hosting Jordan Peterson through LiveNation. Please sign and send to members of Kitchener Council as they manage and fund the Centre in the Square. Mayor Vrbanovic is the chair of the Centre in the Square. Through this email we are hoping to get this dicsussion before council for March 22nd or April 11th.
I am adding my name to the community call for action in response to the Centre in the Square hosting an event featuring Jordan Peterson. As your council oversees and funds the Centre in the Square it is imperative that you act to cancel this event and prevent similar harmful speakers from being booked in the future. Please add this discussion to your March 22nd or April 11th meeting, so that the community can assist you in taking action.
There is no escaping the truth: Jordan Peterson is a transphobic and misogynistic political grifter who is taking full advantage of our local community to further gather influence, power and funding. Jordan Peterson’s harms are well known:
He has been an avid supporter of the convoy occupying Ottawa, promoting white supremacy and undermining public health.
Most recently Peterson has been accused of anti-Black racism for repeatedly discrediting the experience of supreme court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Jordan Peterson himself has caused particular harm in Waterloo Region through Lindsay Shepherd who played clips of his transphobic comments to students at Wilfred Laurier in 2017. Peterson has continually supported her and even sued the University because of these events. Lindsay Shepherd went on to invite white nationalist Faith Goldy to speak at Laurier which further harmed many in our community.
Recently he has participated in the harassment of the local trans community and has directed his supporters to disrupt the work of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Staff at Waterloo Region District School Board. We are concerned that his presence will only amplify the transphobic and racist harassment we are seeing in our local school boards.
Other organizations have recognized the harm of Peterson and have canceled or prevented his performances.
Given this harm and the precedent of other Canadian venues, I am calling on the City of Kitchener to cancel the Jordan Peterson event. To support that action the City should also:
Update policy so as to prevent speakers that are known for hate are not allowed such a public platform venue.
Require LiveNation to pay for additional security to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community out of their own pockets.
Request LiveNation provide either a large donation or significant portion of the event proceeds go directly to local LGBTQ+ orgs within the Waterloo region. (Such as Spectrum, the Sexual Assault Support Center, OK2BEME)
Both Jordan Peterson and his followers are not the kind of people who bring safety and peace to a community. Unless you decide to put an end to it, it is only a matter of time before we see more of his followers emboldened to act and commit more violence towards the people who live within our region.
Signed: __________________________ on _______________________ (date) Print Name: ______________________ Address: ________________________ __________, ON __________ ___________________________________________________________________________