Warman & the Thought Police Shut Down Another Ottawa Meeting
For immediate release:
Ottawa, 24th of November, 2017
Cancellation of the Screening of the Documentary Film ‘Killing Europe’ at the Ottawa Public Library
The world premiere screening of the documentary film ‘Killing Europe’ by the Danish-born film-maker, Michael Hansen had been scheduled to take place on Saturday, the 25th of November, 2017, from 2 to 4 pm, in the Ottawa Public Library Main Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe St., Ottawa. On the 24th of November, 2017, the Ottawa Public Library had informed Act! Ottawa that they were withdrawing from the agreement to rent us space to screen this documentary film, as it was deemed to be in breach of community standards.
Act! for Canada is an organization that highlights human rights abuses, giving voice to victims of violence and oppression, regardless of the consequences. It is in this spirit that Act! for Canada was screening this documentary film, ‘Killing Europe’. The subject of this documentary is difficult, painful and may be triggering to more vulnerable members of our society – and Act! For Canada fully admits that.
It sheds light on the growth of several very problematic movements within Europe, including homophobia, Anti-Semitism and rape-culture. However difficult these issues are, it is essential that they be exposed for what they are, and that the victims have the opportunity to tell their stories, no matter how difficult and traumatic these are.
This is exactly what the documentary film ‘Killing Europe’ does: it brings forward the personal, first-person accounts of stories of victims of rape, anti-Semitism, and homophobia and the violence they had been subjected to. Yes, these stories are painful and troubling, but they are true, first-person accounts of victims of institutionalized violence – and they deserve a fair hearing.
By de-platforming the world premiere screening of ‘Killing Europe’, the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Public Library are permitting the perpetuation of these abuses and are permitting themselves to be tools of institutionalized oppression.
We, at Act! for Canada, are staunch defenders of the human rights of the most vulnerable members of our society, and we condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the re-victimization of women who bravely spoke out of their experience of rape and the institutionalized misogyny that they had been subjected to being further compounded by being denied the means to share their experience by the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Public Library.
Alexandra Belaire,
Act! for Canada/Act! Ottawa
If you’re planning a political meeting in Ottawa, it might be wise to phone over to the Department of National Defence and ask to speak to chronic busybody Richard Warman. He is an perpetual filer of complaints and initiator of legal procedures aimed at stifling opinions of which he does not approve. His latest victim was Act! for Canada which had advertized a screening of Killing Europe, an expose of the Islamicization of Europe and the negative effects of mass Moslem immigration to Europe. To its everlasting shame, the Ottawa Public Library actively connived in this denial of free speech. Libraries across Canada celebrate “Freedom to Read” week. Apparently, the Board of the Ottawa Public Library. see no need to guarantee freedom to meet and discuss controversial issues. Although the public pays for the library through their taxes, only vetted politically correct members of the public can use the facilities for meetings.
A story in the Ottawa Sun (November 24, 2017) provides further details: “The Ottawa Public Library has cancelled this weekend’s screening of a controversial documentary, Killing Europe, after complaints the film was thinly disguised hate speech against Muslims and immigrants.
“I am letting you know that I have been working with the city solicitor about concerns brought forward by the Ottawa district labour council, unions, residents, board members and friends,” Coun. Tim Tierney, who is chairman of the library’s board of directors, said in an email. …’I can now report that the rental of the room will not take place.'” Let’s be quite clear the accusation of “hate speech” usually says more about the accuser than the people accused. “Hate speech” is usually speech someone hates. Killing Europe has never been charged under Canada’s notorious hate law or found guilty/ But just the mere accusation is enough for library authorities to interfere with free speech and discussion.
“Screening the film is “in clear violation of the library’s own rental policy prohibiting the use of space for discriminatory purposes,’ [Richard] Warman wrote in an email to the library and its board members, Mayor Jim Watson, and others.” Where’s the discrimination? The movie expressed a point of view. No Moslem was being denied a service to which he was entitled.
“’When I looked at the three-minute trailer, it was clear it was going to be an all-out assault on immigrants and the Muslim community,’ Warman said Friday. … But where to draw the line between suppressing free speech and stifling hate speech?
Warman said the screening clearly violated the library’s obligations, stated on its website, to not provide public space for individuals or groups that are likely to promote discrimination, contempt or hatred to any person on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, marital status, family status, sexual preference, or disability, gratuitous sex and violence or denigration of the human condition.” Well, that lugubrious list is broad enough to shut down almost any criticism of anyone. Way to go library defenders of intellectual freedom!
“‘This is hate propaganda that is clearly directed toward recent immigrants and members of the Muslim community,’ [Warman] said.” Well, despite the fact he’s a lawyer, Warman is wrong. The movie has never been the subject of a Canadian Sec. 319 “hate charge”!
“’The main thing is that we ensure public venues aren’t used as amplifiers of the message of hate-mongers … Public, taxpayer-funded facilities cannot be used to engage in hate propaganda. The library board has the obligation, when we know that these groups will attempt to misuse public facilities.'” What a constipated view of the right to use public facilities, Warman holds. Even people he disagrees with pay taxes to support the institutions he would prevent them from using.
Paul Fromm
Director
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION
And why not let the Ottawa Public Library, Mayor Jim Watson, and Ottawa City Councillors know what you think of their compliance with Antifa bullying?
Catherine.Seaman@biblioottawalibrary.ca
danielle.mcdonald@biblioottawalibrary.ca
Jim.Watson@ottawa.ca
Tim.Tierney@ottawa.ca.
Bob.Monette@ottawa.ca
Jody.Mitic@ottawa.ca
Jan.Harder@ottawa.ca
Marianne.Wilkinson@ottawa.ca
Eli.El-Chantiry@ottawa.ca
Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca
Mark.Taylor@ottawa.ca
Rick.Chiarelli@ottawa.ca
Keith.Egli@ottawa.ca
Diane.Deans@ottawa.ca
Mathieu.Fleury@ottawa.ca
Tobi.Nussbaum@ottawa.ca
Catherine.McKenney@ottawa.ca
Jeff.Leiper@ottawa.ca
Riley.Brockington@ottawa.ca
David.Chernushenko@ottawa.ca
Jean.Cloutier@ottawa.ca
Stephen.Blais@ottawa.ca
George.Darouze@ottawa.ca
Scott.Moffatt@ottawa.ca
Michael.Qaqish@ottawa.ca
Allan.Hubley@ottawa.ca