A recent blog post from Google Canada tells the story. The internet giant has stated that “there areaspects of the government’s proposal that could be vulnerable to abuse and lead to over removal of legitimate content.”
In what has to be the most hated piece of proposed legislation in modern times, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has had enough. Tired of the tedium of freedom of speech, Mr. Trudeau is calling for the implementation of an internet censorship program within 100 days of return to Parliament.
In reaction, former CRTC commissioner Peter Menzies stated that “granting a government agency authority over legal user generated content constitutes an assault on the foundations of democracy.”
Canada is currently on a path to regulating online harms that internet authorities such as Global Network Initiative, Ranking Digital Rights, internet scholar Daphne Keller and legal scholar Michael Geist have decried as among the worst in the world.
“Canadians won’t notice the strong arm of government controlling their internet posting and browsing right away. This is going to be creeping censorship – death by a thousand bureaucratic edicts.”
“The million little affronts to free speech will begin two to five years from now when the big targets have been mostly subdued.”
In other words, the stifling of diversity of opinion on the internet will unfold in the fashion of all Trudeau-led social transformations: incrementally, for the purpose of seducing Canadians into passivity and acceptance.
Another method of seduction reeks of Trudeau-brand neo-liberalism: a fusing together of draconian measures with human rights-based altruism.
The online harms bill would target online posts in five categories — terrorist content, content that incites violence, hate speech, intimate images shared non-consensually, and child sexual exploitation content.
What sensible person doesn’t want child abuse to be curtailed? On this basis, censorship Bill C-10 and Bill C-36 can be perceived as wholly benevolent– meanwhile, the devil remains in the details.
According to a National Post article from July, 2021, the Liberal government’s online harms bill would create a new regulator for illegal content with sweeping powers that critics say raise concerns about secret proceedings and Canadians’ Charter Rights:
Meaning authorities would maintain the right to walk into the homes of Canadians to investigate hate crime allegations. Memories of George Orwell’s “1984?” Or rather, the creeping phenomenon of neo-totalitarianism comes to Canada.
According to Daphne Keller, Director of Stanford University Cyber Policy Center, Canada’s proposal “is like a list of the worst ideas around the world– – the ones human rights groups have been fighting in the EU, India, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and elsewhere.”
Guess who agrees?
– Arab Canadian Lawyers Association – British Columbia Civil Liberties Association – Canada Palestine Association – Canada Palestine Support Network – Canadian BDS Coalition – Canadian Arab Federation – Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) – Canadian Foreign Policy Institute – Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) – Canadians for Peace and Justice in Kashmir (CPJK) – Canadians United Against Hate – Catholics for Justice and Peace in the Holy Land – Community Coalition Against Racism – Continuing Education Students’ Association – Independent Jewish Voices Canada – International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group – Islamic Social Services Association – Jewish Liberation Theology Institute – Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine-Israel, ON Canada – Oakville Palestinian Rights Association – PAJU (Palestinian and Jewish Unity) – Palestinian Canadian Congress – Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network – South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario – Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project
That’s right–all these multicultural organizations have signed a petition that opposes Trudeau’s Canadian Internet Firewall Proposal.
Catching our collective breath, we ponder the ramifications of a comprehensive rejection of the Trudeau government’s proposal. To what extent will this affect internet censorship?
Cultural Action Party has an opinion– the answer is tono extent at all. In this dynamic we discover an axiomatic truth regarding contemporary Canada: what government wants, government gets.
Democracy, or neo-communism? Time and again, Team Trudeau utilize the same methodology. Position the agenda as one of social benevolence. It is in the best interests of society.
According to a poll from Blacklock’s Reporter, 80% of Canadians believe the online content they consume is factual and truthful. 66% feel confident in their ability to tell if online content is fair and balanced.
Let CAP deliver a conclusion in our typically candid manner: no one wants what the ruling Liberal government is proposing. Except perhaps Canadian media organizations. After all, if Bill C-10 and Bill C-36 pass, it will re-route revenues lost to them resulting from the rise of alternate media– aka the internet
We arrive at the crux of the matter. In a pattern which encapsulates post-modern Canadian society, what we have here is a battle of government/media versus the people.
INTERVIEW: Air Canada employee joins the fight against vaccine passports
This is the story of one airline employee who will have a chance to defend her livelihood thanks to your generous support at FightVaccinePassports.com
The airline industry has been at the centre of many controversies since the onset of COVID-19.
From cancelled flights with no refunds to mass layoffs, there has not been much good news, and that trend is only continuing.
Now, not only are paying customers facing exclusion from air travel based on vaccine status thanks to Justin Trudeau, but airline employees are also facing potential termination based on their vaccine status.
This is the story of one airline employee who will have a chance to defend her livelihood thanks to your generous support at FightVaccinePassports.com.
We are concealing her identity in an effort to safeguard her employment for as long as possible, but hers is a story that we thought you needed to hear.
After decades of service this Air Canada employee, who works from home and has no in-person contact with coworkers or customers, may lose her job because she is unwilling to be vaccinated.
Worse still, she already had COVID and has lab-confirmed COVID-19 antibodies. Despite her natural immunity, and the fact she works from home, Air Canada is not willing to make any reasonable accommodations for her.
We met up with this FightVaccinePassorts.com client for an interview to learn more about her story, after which we joined Sarah Miller of JSS barristers, who is serving as legal counsel for the client at no cost to her, for a legal update on the plan moving forward.
This is just one of countless stories we are telling across Canada.
These stories matter because for every person that is brave enough to share their story, there are undoubtedly countless people at home going through something similar.
These aren’t just stories; they are also vital legal defences which may set the precedent for employees facing termination based on their vaccine status. We are counting on your help now more than ever to keep up this fight, please sign our petition and give what you can at FightVaccinePassports.com.
Are you new to Peoples Freedom Network? Welcome! These are critical times. At a time when our future depends on our communicating with one another, we’ve become isolated.
We are inviting you to join us and hundreds of others in growing this Network nationwide. Every week you will receive breaking news, from the same source that sent this to you, with information the government and mainstream media are keeping from you— action alerts, updates, good news to uplift you and insights to empower you. The links will fire you up. You’ll know what is happening and will be able to move knowing others are with you.
Ultimately this Network will make it possible to mobilize millions in support of nation-wide actions to regain our rights and freedoms.
YOUR ACTION: It’s easy! Send this email in a BCC (blind copy) to at least 5 recipients, more if possible: groups you are in, acquaintances and friends—and then keep the list for next week (More will come and people will be depending on you.)
Updates are sent out every Wednesday. If you not get a notice by the end fo the week, go to FreedomInAction.ca where these mailouts are also posted. Download them every week and continue sending them on to keep the PEOPLE’S FREEDOM NETWORK FREEDOM IN ACTION FREEDOM RISING TAKE ACTION CANADA ACTION4CANADA VACCINE CHOICE CANADA freedominaction.ca freedomrising.info takeactioncanada.ca action4canada.com vaccinechoicecanada.com
MESSAGE #8 /21-10-27 FAST-BREAKING GOOD NEWS— THE TIDE HAS TURNED. Remarkable things have been happening and more will be coming. GOOD NEWS: THE POLICE ARE DRAWING A LINE Thousands of Police across the country are letting their superiors know they will no longer follow orders that violate the Oath they took to protect the public and defend the Charter of Rights: OVER 500 Ontario Police are suing the Province for breaches of the Constitution, the Charter and the Bill of Rights, and they are claiming for damages.
Police in Alberta and British Columbia are planning similar action. Police On Guard, another organization of thousands of police officers, has filed a lawsuit against Federal, provincial and municipal governments which challenges the emergency measures. Mounties For Freedom has sent a powerful open letter to RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki in which RCMP Officers and investigators equate current government mandates with crimes against humanity. The letter leaves no doubt of the fraudulence and criminality of this plandemic and was endorsed by 50,000 officers and public in only 5 days! 911 Onside Over 15,000 Canada-wide first responders, RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, municipal police enforcement, firefighters, DND military and paramedics are joining in resistance to govt overreach
YOUR ACTION: o>> Spread this information. Make it part of the conversation in the country. People need to know what the media is not telling them. o>> Read and sign the open letter. o>> Deliver it to your local police detachment. o>> let fire department and paramedics know about TAC911 Zoom calls (see the top of page 3). o>> Send it to the local news networks so they know they cannot hide the news. o>> Remember: police are us. Click these links for Updates Resources Legal Info and Actions 4 TIME TO CHANGE YOUR MINDSET For too long we have tended to be in a negative, low energy place of fear, anger, frustration and powerlessness that has given others the power to control and divide us. This must end. Let us consciously register and celebrate every breakthrough and turnaround, count our successes daily. By changing the conversation in Canada we can make the positive outcome inevitable. The future will be what we imagine it to be. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BRING THE LION OUT IN YOU? THERE IS A LION IN EACH OF US.
GOVERNMENT MISCALCULATED. The vaxx pass they believed would force people to give up and accept the jab has instead ignited a firestorm of creative resistance that has been missing for the past year and a half. People are not taking it lying down, they are moving ahead. They are pushing back. We are at a turning point that will lead to the collapse of the government. The storm is building. GOOD NEWS: Those in government could not have imagined what this body of motivated, creative and upset people, tens of thousands of highly qualified professionals: nurses, doctors, police, first responders, firemen, tradespeople, teachers, pilots and paramedics, support staff and administrators, is capable of.
We are seeing the power of people standing together and saying. “Who needs you!” and setting out to create alternative, independent, free and parallel systems of health, education and travel, leaving the old corrupt system to muddle in the overwhelm created by their being fired. •Ezra Wellness The new multidisciplinary health service described in our PFN Mailout #7 has been launched with the opening of its first clinic October 26th in Grand Forks BC. It will be followed in short order by dozens of clinics in BC and Alberta that will grow into a parallel wellness system across the country staffed with the dismissed hospital staff and health workers wanting to serve the public denied access to hospital care by government mandates. •Free to Fly represents over 2000 pilots, flight attendants, ground and support staff and is setting out to establish an independent jab free air service similar to successful initiatives being taken in the States.
YOUR ACTION: Our strength comes in standing together. Find ways to join with others, supporting each other in navigating this outrageous challenge dropped into our lives. Talk with colleagues. Plan options and strategies. It is our creative alliances—our humanity—that will see us win this. This too shall pass.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Helen Keller
FREEDOM IN ACTION FREEDOM RISING TAKE ACTION CANADA ACTION4CANADA VACCINE CHOICE CANADA freedominaction.ca freedomrising.info takeactioncanada.ca action4canada.com vaccinechoicecanada.com
TOGETHER WE CAN DO ANYTHING! IT’S TIME TO CALL THEIR BLUFF It’s simple. Government will bluff people into doing anything it wants until the day we realize that standing together, We the People have the power
Weekly on Sundays 11:30 to 2 – Penticton Freedom Rallies. The next one is this Sunday, November 14th.
Meet in the parking lot at the NE corner of Main St and Warren Ave across from Tim Hortons.
Wednesday, November 10th – 6:15 p.m. – Next Penticton Planning Meeting – 6:15 p.m. Meet and park at our regular Sunday rally site – in the parking lot on the NE corner of Main Street and Warren Avenue. We will be carpooling. Finger food potluck, too. NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES PLEASE! Water, coffee, and tea will all be available.
** We will have Notice of Liabilities for signing at the Rally’s – If you need help to start your own Notice of Liability, please ask we have people that can help.
Let’s jump on this one and help drive up the signatures.
We started the delivery process to all city councillors and need one for the CAO too given we want to be ‘inclusive’.
All people need to do is click on the link, scroll to the bottom, and enter their name, email address and date. What’s best is they don’t need to be a resident because if they want to use the recreation centre gym, which is open to the public, they must disclose personal medical information which is a violation of privacy and unethical…
I’d like to send it to the CAO on Monday if we can get a hundred or more signatures.
Thank you!
Wayne Llewellyn
KELOWNA EVENTS
Weekly on Saturdays – Kelowna C.L.E.A.R. Rallies @ Stuart Park at the Bear12:00 noon
WORLDWIDE RALLY DAY – November 20th
Other Important items
Please send this email to at least 5 contacts on your list. This is an effective way to spread the word.
This is a common initiative of various freedom groups, individuals, and organizations from across the country as a grassroots way to encourage others to speak out and to boost their courage knowing that thousands, even hundreds of thousands of others are also doing this same thing.
Please take some time to look at the link or the attachment!
Remember when sending this email to your contacts, use the BCC method, that way peoples email addresses stay private.
And with your help, soon to be millions!
If you wish to join the CLEAR Kelowna email list as well, please reply with “add to CLEAR Kelowna list”. Or go to the link https://clearbc.org/ and put yourself on the list.
Time to Renew (for 2022) & Help CAFE Survive Financially
Canadian Association for Free Expression
Box 332,
Rexdale, Ontario, M9W 5L3
Ph: 416-428-5308
Website http://cafe.nfshost.com
Paul Fromm, B.Ed, M.A. Director
November 11, 2021 CAFE supporters welcome Dr. James Sears on his release from prison
Dear Free Speech Supporter:
Time to Renew (for 2022) & Help CAFE Survive Financially
It’s Remembrance Day and we recall with respect the bravery and sacrifice of Canadian men and women who fought and sometimes perished in war — wars ostensibly for freedom (but that’s another story). As I shall explain a bit later, those freedoms have been vacuumed away and, sad to say, many Canadians just don’t care. We have a monumental job to nudge more Canadians into caring. I am asking you to renew your subscription to the Free Speech Monitor (still just $20.00) and to send us a special Christmas gift donation. Quite frankly, CAFE is hanging on by a thread. Many of you have suffered financially because of the COVID lockdown hysteria — jobs lost, businesses closed. One of our key sources of income is meetings across the country. We see our supporters and they donate or buy books or videos. For much of the past 19 months meetings have been impossible. For instance, we have held just two in Toronto this year. Thus, a special Christmas donation to CAFE would be a huge help.
Good News: Political Prisoner Dr. James Sears Free on Early Parole
First, some good news. Dr. James Sears, the editor of the wickedly satirical YOUR WARD NEWS, was freed from the South Toronto Detention Centre — too late for Thanksgiving — on October 14, in early parole, having served four months of a 12-month sentence (the maximum) for “wilfully promoting hatred” against radical feminists and Jews. He emerged gaunt but smiling and unbroken. CAFE played a role, we are told, in his release. CAFE, from the start, has supported victims of Canada’s notorious hate laws. We staged six protests outside the prison for Dr. Sears. He became an immediate celebrity among both the prisoners and the guards. One guard sneered after one of our protests to Dr. Sears: “There were only 11 of your supporters at the protest.” Another guard retorted: “But that’s 11 more than any other prisoner has ever had here!” The protests also informed astonished prisoners and guards what Dr. Sears’ crime was — satire, jokes, the written word — not assault or theft or DUI. Many came to know Canada’s hypocrisy. We selectively preach about human rights but still toss dissidents in jail. We also contributed to Dr. Sears’ canteen or prison account. However, best of all, in the mysterious alchemy involved in parole decisions, apparently our protests had a positive effect. “Believe me, those protests helped you get early parole,” a guard told Dr. Sears. His co-accused, publisher Leroy St. Germaine also received a year in prison, but, because he was of Metis ancestry, got to serve his time under house arrest. Nevertheless, although 80 years old and not in the best of health Leroy came out to several of our protests in support of his old friend Dr. James Sears.
Freedom of Speech — Many Canadians Just Don’t Get It & Just Don’t Care
If you haven’t already done so, please read the lead article in the Free Speech Monitor (October, 2021) which accompanies this letter. Entitled “Freedom of Speech: Many Canadians Don’t “Get” It”, it references a recent Leger poll that found that 40 per cent of Canadians felt we had less freedom to discuss controversial topics today than a decade ago. Good, but only 40 per cent? With protests and public gatherings even religious gatherings banned or severely restricted for months over the past two years, with protesters fined and pastors heavily fined or jailed, how can only 40 per cent even see there’s a problem? What should be done about “hate speech”, whatever that is, on social media like Facebook and YouTube and Twitter — outlets, unlike most of the mainstream, largely Fake news media that remain open to dissident voices? Pathetically, 46 per cent of those surveyed felt the government should regulate or ban content it “considers hate speech” and 69 per cent supported social media monitoring (spying) and banning content they considered “hate speech”. In January, 65 per cent of Canadians said they’d support a nightly curfew — that’s house arrest, punishment without charge or trial — to fight COVID, even though they doubted the effectiveness of curfews! (Canadian Press, January 19, 2021)Now, that’s some special kind of stupid! Interestingly, the same poll found that 21 per cent said their own mental health was bad or very bad. [It shows!] Perhaps, many Canadians had been scared witless by the relentless media and government fear mongering about an illness with a 99.7 survival. The dangerous thing is that, if substantial numbers of Canadians don’t cherish or care about their liberties, governments which are full of control freaks won’t either. Also, implicit in all this is that our freedoms come from the government — they can stingily dole them out a little, when we’re good, and yank them back when we’re bad. THAT’S NOT THE NATURE OF OUR ANGLO-SAXON LIBERTIES! These liberties are inherent to our nature and, if you’re Christian, they are intrinsic to your nature as a human being, a child of God.
Well, the Charter and the Courts Will Protect Us from The Theft of Our Rights?
It’s a fond thought that Trudeau I’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, crippled by a weasel clause as it is, will protect your rights to freedom of speech, freedom to practise your religion, freedom of assembly. Thus far the Charter has proven as useful as a wet piece of Kleenex in a puddle during this pandemic. In several cases, the courts have said: “Well, yes, the restrictions imposed by the Medico-Stalinists violate your rights, but it’s all in a good cause. So, there!” Law Professor Bruce Pardy warned: “Ten days ago, the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench was the latest court to rebuff a constitutional challenge to COVID restrictions on civil liberties. Chief Justice Glenn Joyal ruled that provincial public health orders were constitutionally justifiable, joining courts from around the country in embracing the official COVID narrative and defending the authority of the pandemic state. [The case, argued on behalf of several religious groups by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms introduced 2,000 pages of academic testimony and four qualified expert witnesses, including the former Chief Medical Officer of Health of Manitoba. They challenged the scientific validity of the very basis for the COVID case count so lovingly cited by lockdown proponents — the PSR test.] Over the past 19 months, lockdowns, masking rules, traveller quarantines, closed borders, business restrictions, and now vaccine mandates have made Canadians less free than they have ever been. Yet so far, Charter challenges to COVID rules have been spectacularly unsuccessful. During COVID, the Charter has been useless!” (National Post, November 3, 2021)
Cancel Culture Where Dissent Can Get You Fired & Your Life Ruined On A Mere Complaint
Canadians like to think of themselves as “nice” people: We are polite and always apologizing. This self-congratulatory view is often wrong. All too frequently many Canadians are vicious, destructive nasty people. This is the environment we live in. Consider the Lavallee sisters and a boyfriend: ” Two Ontario sisters have been awarded $100,000 in a defamation suit against an activist who started a social media campaign against them, alleging a Snapchat video they made mocked the murder of George Floyd. The sisters, Shania and Justine Lavallee, were both fired from their respective jobs at Boston Pizza and Canada Border Services Agency in the spring of 2020, shortly after the social media campaign began. The Ontario Superior Court decision by Justice Marc Smith said that Solit Isak, who identifies as Black, initiated a ‘brutal and unempathetic campaign to destroy the lives of two young women.’ According to the ruling, Isak made dozens of posts about the sisters after viewing a screenshot of a Snapchat video made by Shania Lavallee, which were quickly amplified by social media and the news media. The screenshot showed Justine being pinned down by her boyfriend, who had his knee on her back and was holding her arms back. Isak viewed the image shortly after Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer—setting off a summer of protests about racial injustice—and believed the Snapchat post mocked his death. In the court ruling Isak admitted she never saw the video, and the sisters said the video was just play fighting, and they had no intentions of invoking Floyd’s death. … The court also never saw the video, as it was deleted by Snapchat, but accepted the word of the sisters and two of their friends who saw the video that there was no attempt to mock Floyd.” What exactly does it mean that Isak ‘identifies as Black’? Is she Black or is she a blue-eyed redhead who wishes she was Black? Her lobbying also got the boyfriend fired. Terrible as her behaviour was, equally vile were the reactions of those businesses and government bodies that blithely fired these people on mere complaints. There was no due process. Oh, and the big irony: Despite the French sounding name, the Lavallees are Eskimos! We have much to do to try to claw back some of our lost liberties!
The Challenge
Doug Christie prophetically warned us after three decades battling for free speech in Canadian courts: “Don’t look to constitutions or bills of rights or charters of rights and freedom for the liberties you have. You only have such freedoms as you are prepared to fight for.” Since 1983, CAFE has been in this fight, promoting freedom of speech by assisting the victims of censorship, by publishing our monthly newsletter, the Free Speech Monitor, by presenting daily, timely information on our website http://cafe.nfshost.com, by holding meetings (COVID crackdowns permitting) and rallies and by producing numerous videos like these recent ones:
I thank you in advance and gratefully wish you and your family a Very Merry Christmas. You might want to consider buying some of the historic Doug Christie dvds on the back of the enclosed coupon and using them as Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers.
Sincerely yours,
Paul Fromm
Director
CAFE, Box 332, Rexdale, Ontario, M9W 5L3
The Wuhan Flu has cramped CAFE’s operations, especially holding meetings, as we do across Canada. This has slashed our income. Nevertheless, we have maintained our publishing schedule, bringing out the Free Speech Monitor each month and, of course, maintaining our very active website — http://cafe.nfshost.com. Can you help make up the financial shortfall? Send CAFE a Christmas gift. Make your cheque payable to CAFE.
__ Orders from the other side of this coupon for Christmas gifts & stocking stuffers. $____.
___Please renew my subscription for 2022 to the Free Speech Monitor ($20).
___ Wuhan Flu or not, I am one of Canada’s tiny band of free speech freedom fighters. Here is my donation of $______ to assist in CAFE’s work so that more people “get it” about the importance of freedom of speech in these times of fear, hysteria and power grabs by control freaks.
What are you doing on Saturday afternoon? How about hanging out with some very cool folks?
2:00 PM Karaoke fun – Join us at Dan and Shirley’s house for songs and Potluck. Bring a dish, a smile, and warn up those voices (or not, its okay)
If you have been to their house in the past, head on up for 2PM, if you need the address call 236-687-2732 for directions.
Weekly on Sundays 11:30 to 2 – Penticton Freedom Rallies. The next one is this Sunday, November 7th.
Remember to set your clock BACK 1 hour before you go to bed on Saturday night.
Meet in the parking lot at the NE corner of Main St and Warren Ave across from Tim Hortons.
Penticton Sign Making Event. Sunday, November 7th 2:00 PM Potluck Dinner to follow Bring a dish to share
Please meet at the Sunday Rally and we will give directions to the house that has been offered for us to create sign making magic.
Wednesday, November 10th – 6:15 p.m. – Next Penticton Planning Meeting – 6:15 p.m. Meet and park at our regular Sunday rally site – in the parking lot on the NE corner of Main Street and Warren Avenue. We will be carpooling. Finger food potluck, too. NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES PLEASE! Water, coffee, and tea will all be available.
KELOWNA EVENTS
Weekly on Saturdays – Kelowna C.L.E.A.R. Rallies @ Stuart Park at the Bear12:00 noon
Sunday November 7th 1:00 – 3:00PM United Workers Peaceful Protest
1701 Harvey Ave. Pedestrian Overpass – Landmark District
Other Important items
Please send this email to at least 5 contacts on your list. This is an effective way to spread the word.
This is a common initiative of various freedom groups, individuals, and organizations from across the country as a grassroots way to encourage others to speak out and to boost their courage knowing that thousands, even hundreds of thousands of others are also doing this same thing. And with your help, soon to be millions!
If you wish to join the CLEAR Kelowna email list as well, please reply with “add to CLEAR Kelowna list”. Or go to the link https://clearbc.org/ and put yourself on the list.
If you want to unsubscribe from this list: (Heavens, No!) Simply reply with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. Thank you.
Slovenian Prime Minister: Antifa Is ‘International Terrorist Organisation’
Janez Janša, prime minister of former first lady Melania Trump’s home country of Slovenia, has labelled the far-left extremist group Antifa an “international terrorist organisation” following violence in France over the weekend
Prime Minister Janša made his comments on social media network Twitter, saying: “Antifa is a global terrorist organization. Supported by the capital of financial speculators forging profits at the expense of the chaos caused by the operation.”
The Slovenian leader was reacting to a post by American journalist Andy Ngo which highlighted Antifa violence over the weekend in the French city of Nantes which saw the far-left extremists attempt to disrupt a meeting of the conservative writer and French presidential hopeful Eric Zemmour.
According to a report from the newspaper Le Figaro, around 600 far-left extremists gathered in Nantes to oppose Zemmour on Saturday and some chanted for his death and clashed with police.
“We know who Joseph Stalin was, we know the hundreds of thousands of deaths he caused, these people are only his distant descendants,” Zemmour said in reaction to the far-left extremists.
Prime Minister Janez Janša is not the first world leader to label Antifa as a terrorist group. Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump urged former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to designate Antifa as a terrorist group earlier this year before leaving office.
The year prior, former U.S. Attorney General William Barr stated that Antifa members were involved in violence that amounted to domestic terrorism.
“The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly,” Barr said.
In 2019, when President Trump first discussed declaring Antifa a terrorist group, left-wing figures across Europe, particularly in Germany, reacted by declaring their support for the extremist group.
In a move pollster calls ‘a direct challenge’ to O’Toole’s leadership, 15 to 30 Tory MPs and Senators starting new caucus to speak up for anti-vaxxers losing jobs
But three-term Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu says the ‘Civil Liberties Caucus’ is not aimed to undermine Erin O’Toole’s leadership, only to represent constituents’ concerns.
Three-term Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu and a group of 15 to 30 Conservative MPs and Senators are starting a caucus called the ‘Civil Liberties Caucus’ to advocate for ‘reasonable accommodation’ for anti-vaxxers who are losing their jobs. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Erin O’Toole’s stance on COVID-19 vaccinations hurt the Conservative Party’s recent election campaign and remains a divisive internal issue as a group of 15 to 30 Conservative MPs and Senators is set to start a new intra-party caucus on Nov. 8 called the “Civil Liberties Caucus” that Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu says will speak up for anti-vaxxers who are losing their jobs for refusing to get the shot.
The idea to start this caucus came at a social gathering of Parliamentarians early last month in Ottawa, after the first post-election caucus meeting, Ms. Gladu (Sarnia-Lambton, Ont.) told The Hill Times. At the time, a number of caucus members expressed concerns about some of their constituents losing their jobs in a variety of professions for refusing to get vaccinated. With House committees seeming unlikely to meet until February, the three-term MP said there’s no parliamentary forum in the interim where MPs can have a serious discussion on this issue. Ms. Gladu said this is the reason “like-minded” MPs and Senators decided to start this caucus.
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Since that meeting, Ms. Gladu said some Conservatives MPs and Senators have had four Zoom meetings to discuss the path forward to highlight this issue and what they can do to encourage employers to find a “reasonable accommodation” for these workers. In her own Ontario riding, she said, 18 nurses lost their jobs early this week for refusing to get vaccinated. Ms. Gladu suggested rather than firing people from their jobs, employers can use rapid tests to determine whether staff are COVID-19 positive, or transfer them to positions that do not involve contact with patients. On Nov. 8, in the evening, she said some Conservative MPs and Senators are meeting online to finalize the nuts and bolts of how they want to run this caucus.
Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole is facing an uphill internal battle over the divisive issue of vaccinations. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
Ms. Gladu said the House committee approach is under consideration as a model to follow, whereby the caucus could invite experts to guide members about possible solutions. The caucus is considering launching a Facebook page to provide updates to their constituents about the caucus’ work and may invite them to participate, she said. She said the group has not formally informed Mr. O’Toole or the opposition leader’s office about this caucus as it’s an informal group and it’s not unusual for Parliamentarians to start caucuses on issues of interest. She also said that it’s highly unlikely that the leadership would try to shut it down as there are other caucuses on “controversial” issues, such as the pro-life caucus that has been in existence for years.
Canadians’ rights ‘are being encroached’ on: Gladu
Ms. Gladu denied the “Civil Liberties Caucus” is aimed to undermine or challenge Mr. O’Toole’s leadership and said she hoped other federal parties don’t exploit this issue as the caucus members are only trying to help their constituents. The group chose “civil liberties” as a name, she explained, because they believe Canadians who don’t want to be vaccinated are not getting fair treatment, and losing their jobs is a violation of their rights.
“I would really encourage every MP to listen to constituents in their ridings, because across the country, people are concerned about these things,” said Ms. Gladu, who declined to share the names of other caucus members until next week.
“Our job as MPs is to raise the issues that our constituents are bringing, and ask the important questions and get the experts in on it, and set a path to take action to make sure that people’s rights and freedoms are protected. And that’s why we’re sort of looking at the name of civil liberties. I mean, it’s basically these are the areas where we feel people’s [rights] are being encroached.”
However, she conceded that being a member of this group could also affect an MPs’ prospects of promotion in the party’s shadow cabinet, noting it’s a possibility that every member has to consider before joining the group. Ms. Gladu said that the membership of this caucus could grow beyond 30.
“That is possible, and people will have to choose what their priorities are,” said Ms. Gladu, adding that the only reason this caucus started is to help out constituents. “No, I don’t think that this is very controversial. Honestly, these are issues that are being raised by our constituents, and we were put here to basically represent their needs and make sure that those issues are raising in government, and that’s what we’re doing.”
According to the recently announced new rules of the House Board of Internal Economy, anyone who is not vaccinated cannot enter parliamentary buildings or the Chamber. The Liberal, NDP. and Bloc Québécois have publicly announced that their caucus members are fully vaccinated. But, on the Conservative side, there are some MPs who are not vaccinated. The number however is unknown. According to a survey by CBC of all Conservative MPs, 81 said they are fully vaccinated, three declined to share their vaccination status and 35 did not respond.
The Conservative Party’s official position is that it will follow the House rules, but plan to challenge the edict as a point of privilege in the House on the grounds that MPs should be making these rules, not the nine-member all-party Board of Internal Economy.
Some Conservative caucus sources told The Hill Times this week that these unvaccinated MPs will try to enter the building and it will become an issue that will yet again highlight the party’s internal divisions on the topic. And if that happens, that could result in caucus expulsions.
“I’ll tell you this: Nov. 22, can be a very interesting day,” said one Conservative MP who spoke to The Hill Times on not for attribution basis to offer their candid opinion. “Because I believe there are Conservative Members of Parliament who are unvaccinated who are going to try and get into the Parliament buildings anyways. So, they’re not going to follow the rules, despite what we’ve decided as a caucus. And what happens after that? I think they’re going to be kicked out of caucus.”
Election performance review end date up in the air
After this, Conservative sources said the next date to watch for is former Conservative MP James Cumming review report of the party’s election performance. At the first caucus meeting after the election, all caucus members were told that Mr. Cumming, who lost his seat in the Sept. 20 election, will conduct a comprehensive review of the last election and present his report to the leader by Dec. 31 and the leader will share this report with the caucus.
Former Alberta Conservative MP James Cumming is conducting a comprehensive review of the party’s election performance. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
Mr. Cumming told The Hill Times that he is trying to complete his report as soon as he can. But, considering that the holiday season is starting next month, he was not sure if he would be able to complete the report by Dec. 31. Mr. Cumming declined to say when he would submit his report. For his review, Mr. Cumming said that so far he has talked to about 50 people, including candidates, MPs, campaign managers, staff who were directly involved in the campaign and some who were not. These conversations involve both in-person and phone conversations. He said that he has one staffer who is helping him with co-ordination and documentation of these meetings. Mr. Cumming said that he might be reimbursed for his expenses but said that it’s not decided whether he would get paid for his time spent on this report.
“I haven’t picked an end date yet,” said Mr. Cumming. “But I would tell you that again, my drive is to make sure that it’s comprehensive and that it’s based upon I’ve received enough information, be able to prepare a good report?”
New group makes O’Toole ‘look weak,’ says pollster
The vaccination issue was one of the key reasons the Conservatives failed to unseat the Liberal government in the last election, according to Greg Lyle, president of Innovative Research. Even now, the party is divided, and he said a new caucus speaking up for Canadians who don’t want to get vaccinated will be seen as a challenge to Mr. O’Toole’s leadership. He said that a clear majority of Canadians are in support of vaccination and Conservative Party is divided, so it portrays Mr. O’Toole as a weak leader. It appears Mr. O’Toole is trying to downplay the issue, he said, while some of the caucus members are highlighting it, making it difficult for the party to win next time.
“It’s pretty much a direct leadership challenge to Erin O’Toole,” said Mr. Lyle, a prominent pollster. “Which makes him look weak, which doesn’t help him in his competition if he stays on as leader. And No. 2, it’s offside with the vast majority of Canadians. … Given that O’Toole said he is going to respect the ruling, it’s a direct attack on his leadership, there’s just no other way to look at it.”
Conservative sources said that there are a lot of conversations happening within the caucus as to the possibility of holding a caucus review of Mr. O’Toole. At this time, they said, it appears a third of the caucus is on the leader’s side, a third is against the leader, and a third is in wait and see mode. They said that one reason some caucus members are undecided is because they don’t seen a prominent person willing to run for the party leadership who could succeed Mr. O’Toole and win the next election. But others say, right now, the leader’s position is not open, and no one knows who the potential candidates are. Once the position opens up, they said, there will be candidates who can win the next election for the party.
“The ballot question cannot be who’s in the wings,” said a senior Conservative. “The ballot question has to be, can O’Toole win or not? That’s got to be the ballot question. If that seat [leader’s position] becomes available, then there’ll be plenty of people stepping forward.”
The Hill Times
CLARIFICATION: This story was updated on Nov. 4 to clarify that the quote in the original headline calling the new intra-party caucus “a direct challenge” to Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole’s leadership was from pollster Greg Lyle, not a member of the new caucus. As noted in the piece, Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu has said it is not meant as a challenge to Mr. O’Toole’s leadership. The Hill Times apologizes for any confusion.
DO CANADIANS HAVE THE WILL TO CLAW BACK THE RIGHTS STOLEN FROM THEM DURING COVID?
DO CANADIANS HAVE THE WILL TO CLAW BACK THE RIGHTS STOLEN FROM THEM DURING COVID? — talk by Paul Fromm, Director of the Canadian Association for Free Expression, in Vancouver, October 28, 2021 https://www.brighteon.com/bb297ff3-7073-46e3-a4eb-696f639749d7
“I’ve made 150 videos of Paul Fromm since 2015 but this is the first fireside chat and it’s at my place. This was Oct. 28, 2021, the day after the previous video of him.” — Brian Ruhe
Paul Fromm is the Director of the Canadian Association for Free Expression Winner of the George Orwell Free Speech Award, 1994
“I’ve made 150 videos of Paul Fromm since 2015 but this is the first fireside chat and it’s at my place. This was Oct. 28, 2021, the day after the previous video of him.” — Brian Ruhe
Paul Fromm is the Director of the Canadian Association for Free Expression Winner of the George Orwell Free Speech Award, 1994
