Comedian Mike Ward’s mockery of disabled singer not discriminatory: Supreme Court

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada says comedian Mike Ward’s comments about a disabled singer did not amount to discrimination under Quebec’s rights charter.

In a 5-4 ruling today, the high court set aside a decision ordering Ward to pay damages for mocking Jérémy Gabriel, saying a discrimination claim must not become a defamation action.

The high-profile case pitted artistic expression, in the form of dark comedy, against the protection of one’s dignity.

Gabriel, who has Treacher Collins syndrome — a congenital disorder characterized by skull and facial deformities — became a celebrity in Quebec after he sang with Celine Dion and for the Pope.