George Jonas Freedom Award
The annual recognition of a Canadian who has contributed to advancing and preserving freedom in our country.
Tickets
Tickets for the Toronto event are now sold out. If you would like to join the cancellation list for Regular or VIP tickets, please fill out the form below.
2023 George Jonas Freedom Award - June 15th, 2023
Award Recipient: Dr. Jordan B. Peterson
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is honoured that Dr. Jordan B. Peterson will accept our award at our 6th Annual George Jonas Freedom Award dinner in Toronto on Thursday June 15th.
VIP dinner tickets are $550, and includes a pre-dinner reception with award recipient, Dr. Peterson.
Regular dinner tickets are $250
All tickets include appetizers prior to dinner with a full dinner being served at 6PM.
Due to overwhelming interest, we are kindly asking that tickets are limited to four tickets per person, household, or entity, and are non-refundable but are transferable through your Showpass account.
Other GJFA Dinners (tickets will be available in near future):
Vancouver – Wednesday August 2
Calgary – Thursday September 28
*Dr. Peterson is only confirmed in-person for the Toronto dinner at this time.
About our Award Recipient:
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is committed to defending free expression. In January 2023, he shared that the College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO) has “demanded that [he] submit to mandatory social-media communication retraining,” or else face a disciplinary hearing, and that the CPO threaten his professional license because of his commitment to free speech.
In 2016, he famously stood up to intimidation and “forced speech” when pressured to use newly invented personal pronouns.
Dr. Peterson is a firm advocate for personal responsibility, which is one of the pillars of the free society. He has consistently displayed courage in the face of adversity, and perseverance in the face of ongoing unjustified attacks against his character and reputation.
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is an author, psychologist, online educator, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto. He has written three books, Maps of Meaning, an academic work, presenting a new scientifically-grounded theory of religious and political belief, and the bestselling 12 Rules for Life, and Beyond Order, which have sold more than seven million copies.
About the Event
George Jonas (1935-2016) was a stalwart Canadian who knew firsthand the dangers of totalitarianism, having lived under both fascism and communism. The ideals of liberty and the free society permeated his writings as an author, poet, and National Post columnist.
A refugee who came to Canada from communist Hungary in 1956, George Jonas played a key role in assisting the Justice Centre through his service on the Board of Directors of the Aurea Foundation, which provided generous grants to the Justice Centre in its early years.
This wonderful evening includes a reception, dinner, the award presentation, and keynote speeches.
Past Winners
The George Jonas Freedom Award - 2022
Recipient: Tamara Lich
The Justice Centre is pleased to have awarded the 2022 George Jonas Freedom Award to Tamara Lich, one of the participants of the Freedom Convoy, in recognition of her outstanding dedication to the cause of freedom. We recognize that Canada's legal system is founded on a principle of innocent until proven guilty.
Guest Speakers: Rex Murphy & The Honourable Brian Peckford
Watch: Tamara Lich speech
The George Jonas Freedom Award - 2021
Recipient: Canadians resisting unconstitutional lockdowns
This exclusive event will feature the premiere of "Canada's Freedom Fighters", a video showcasing courageous and notable Canadians across the country resisting unconstitutional lockdowns.
Guest Speakers: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Dr. Francis Christian
Watch: the Zoom Event
The George Jonas Freedom Award - 2020
Recipient: Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship (SAFS)
Established in 1992, SAFS is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that focuses on maintaining freedom in teaching, research and scholarship at post-secondary institutions in Canada. SAFS opposes speech codes, extra-legal tribunals and infringement on free speech of the academic community, both faculty and students, to research and teach on controversial subjects.
The George Jonas Freedom Award - 2019
Recipient: Christie Blatchford
The Justice Centre's George Jonas Freedom Award recognizes one Canadian each year who has made significant contributions to defending Canada's free society. This year's Jonas Award recipient was Christie Blatchford. Christie was introduced by renowned defence attorney Marie Henein at the Eglinton Theatre in Toronto, June 14.
Watch: Full Event On YouTube
The George Jonas Freedom Award - 2018
Recipient: Mark Steyn
The George Jonas Freedom Award was presented to Mark Steyn on Friday June 15, 2018 at the Eglinton Grand in Toronto. The award ceremony included a reception, dinner, and accolades to George Jonas from those who knew him best, concluding with a keynote speech from Mark Steyn.
Mark Steyn is a well-known Canadian human rights activist, political commentator and best-selling author. Steyn’s human rights campaign to restore free speech to Canada led to the repeal by Parliament of the notorious “Section 13” restrictions on free expression.
Watch: ZNews cover on YouTube
Watch: Full Event on YouTube