Time for a History Lesson

All right class, settle down. Reference is made from time to time in popular culture to "Star Chambers". What were they? No fair going to Wikipedia to get a quick answer.

Once you have your answer the follow-up question is: Do some Human Rights Tribunal Hearings resemble Star Chamber proceedings, and, if so, how?

No credit will be given to those who argue that free-speechers should be silenced.

Star Chambers Behind Closed Doors, No Admittance: "

From Connie Fournier at FD… 

Lemire’s March 25th Hearing to be a Secret Star Chamber!As many of you know, Marc Lemire’s Canadian Human Rights Tribunal hearing is scheduled to resume on March 25, 2008.The defence team is planning to question Dean Steacy, a Human Rights Commission investigator, about why he registered on Free Dominion when we were not under investigation (something he claimed never to have done), and to ask about the CHRC complaint that was lodged against us over a post that was made just days after Steacy registered here.I sent the following email to Carol Ann Hartung on March 6th:

Connie wrote:

Dear Ms Hartung,My name is Connie Fournier and my husband and I were administrators of the website Free Dominion when a person named jadewarr signed up as a member.It has come to our attention that this matter will be discussed at the March 25th tribunal hearing of Warman v. Lemire, and we would like to request permission to sit in on the hearing since the evidence concerns a website that belonged to us.Please let us know if this is agreeable. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Connie and Mark Fournier

Hartung wrote back on March 7, 2008:

Quote:

Ms. Fournier,The testimony of the witnesses on March 25th in the above-cited matter is a continuation from a previous sitting with these witnesses which was held in camera, pursuant to an order by the presiding Tribunal Member. Unless the parties indicate that this is no longer required and if the presiding Tribunal Member agrees, the hearing of the testimony of the scheduled witnesses will remain closed to the public.Regards,Carol Ann Hartung Carol Ann Hartung Registry Officer/Agente du greffe Canadian Human Rights Tribunal/Tribunal canadien des droits de la personne 160 rue Elgin Street Suite 1100 Ottawa ON K1A 1J4 (613) 995-1707 ext./poste 313

It’s time to light the blogosphere aflame.  E-mail, write, or phone Ms. Hartung and demand your right to know what’s going on in the nation’s kafka kourts.It’s time to split the banana chambers.Email address: cahartung@chrt-tcdp.gc.ca

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(Via SoCon Or Bust.)