Free speech and its defence in Canada are definitely not free but come at a huge cost.
Mark and Connie Fournier are among the most abused of Richard Warman’s victims. Until finally stopped by the Marc Lemire case which ruled Sec. 13 (Internet censorship) of the Canadian Human Rights Act essentially unconstitutional, Richard Warman, as part of his “maximum disruption” tactic had been on a tear filing complaints at no cost and sometimes a profit to himself against persons whose politics he didn’t like: a diverse group of dissident victims he dubbed “neo-Nazis.” By way of further mischief, he filed or attempted to file Sec. 319(hate law) complaints against many of them, including Glen Bahr, Jessica Beaumont,. Alexan Kulbashian, Marc Lemire, and Terry Tremaine. (the list may not be all inclusive).Not all of these complaints led to charges. In addition, at least in the Terry Tremain case, busybody Warman went after the victim’s jobs successfully in Terry Tremaine’s case).
Now, if you defended free speech and criticized Warman’s legal rampage, you could face problems. CAFE and I were stout defenders of the victims and vocal critics of Richard Warman. retribution came swiftly. We were both sued for defamation. After five years of huge costs and legal torment, amazingly we lost. [According to Madame Justice Monique Methivier’s understanding of law and the English language, we may not call Richard Warman a censor. We note that observers in a freer country like theU.S.who also understand the English language as well seem to feel the term applies.] We faced a judgement of $43,000, not to mention our own hefty legal costs.
There have been many other victims of Richard Warman’s war against his critics. The prize, however, goes to Mark and Connie Fournier of freedominion.ca. They are the object of no fewer than three Warman defamation suits. Yet, it’s even more complicated, costly and time consuming. there have been many long drawn out, hard fought and appealed ancillary motions; including one where Warman sought to get the Fourniers to reveal the identities of several pseudonymous bloggers on freedominion whom he also was eager to sue for criticizing him.
Yet another spin off is the matter alluded to in the following report. On Monday, the Fourniers were awarded costs in a copyright dispute which they won. Warman and the National Post are on the hook for $7,230.44 in costs incurred by the Fourniers. The attached judgement by the Federal Court makes instructive as well as sleep-inducing reading. The impoverished Fourniers had to fight for every parking expense (the one for which they had a receipt was allowed) and even the cost of highlighters and tabs (not allowed as they might still have some use left in them for non-litigation purposes.)
The submissions seeking to deny the Fourniers their few pennies in costs would seem to have been filed on behalf of Richard Warman.
Paul Fromm
Director
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION
Richard Warman and National Post owe Fourniers $7,230.44
http://www.freedominion.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1744225&sid=ad77cc5a3abca7e9b30c692b72b78a02by Connie Fournier » 10/ 02/ 12 8:02 pm
In an assessment decision filed yesterday costs were awarded against Richard Warman and the National Post for their loss in the Federal Court copyright case. They owe us $7,230.44.
Although this is a drop in the bucket considering what Maximum Disruption has cost us, it is a very substantial award for self-represented litigants, and we are thrilled with this decision!
Read the reasons here: http://www.freedominion.ca/images/Asses … easons.pdf
Canada‘s Free Speech Movement Needs YOUR Help
CAFE, Box 332, Rexdale, Ontario, M9W 5L3
__ Here’s my donation of ____to help CAFÉ autumn programme, including the Terry Tremaine case.
__ Here’s my special donation of _____ to help CAFE pay off its legal bills in the Warman libel suit.
__ Please renew my subscription for 2012 to the Free Speech Monitor ($15).
Please charge ______my VISA#________________________________________________________________
Expiry date: __________ Signature:_______________________________________________________________
Name:____________________________________________________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________Email______________________________