The College of Psychologists of Ontario has accused Dr. Jordan B. Peterson of lacking professionalism in some of his social media posts in November.
He is currently involved in a legal battle with a Canadian regulator. The regulator has demanded that he undergo social media training or risk losing his psychologist license.
He said he was never investigated for anything for the 20 years he practiced before his emergence on the public scene.
The government agency governing the psychology profession in the province has ordered Peterson to undergo retraining on his social media communication skills, which includes coaching for his Twitter commentary. Failure to comply could result in his license being suspended.
The author criticized the attempt to revoke his license and accused the regulator of stifling freedom of speech. Peterson stated that he would not take part in the process.
Peterson had his day in court on Wednesday.
Peterson had accused the regulator of targeting him multiple times since 2017, when his public profile increased. He now has a vast audience of 15 million followers across YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
His legal team requested a three-judge panel in a crowded Toronto court to reverse the regulator’s decision for him to undergo remedial training.
Peterson did not attend the court hearing.
According to the regulator, Peterson’s offenses include retweeting criticism of Trudeau, criticizing a former Trudeau aide, and opposing the idea of Ottawa police taking custody of Trucker Convoy protesters’ children.
Other alleged offenses include his skepticism towards the reliability of climate change models and his criticism of Sports Illustrated featuring overweight and unhealthy swimsuit models on the cover.
Peterson has previously expressed criticism towards a Canadian law that made it a criminal offense to use incorrect pronouns for individuals who identify as transgender.
Attorneys representing the College of Psychologists argued against the claim that the regulator was significantly restricting Peterson’s freedom of expression. They also stated that the remedial training is not intended as a punishment.
Members are expected to follow the standards and ethics of the profession and are subject to the regulation of their professional body as long as they are members, according to the psychology regulator’s legal team.
The Canadian Constitution Foundation showed up in court on Wednesday to express its support for Peterson.
The court has not yet made a decision.
