{"id":2356,"date":"2018-05-29T00:09:50","date_gmt":"2018-05-29T04:09:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/?p=2356"},"modified":"2018-05-29T00:09:50","modified_gmt":"2018-05-29T04:09:50","slug":"leftists-stew-about-tory-contacts-with-white-nationalists-the-campaign-to-keep-people-isolated-not-talking-to-one-another","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/?p=2356","title":{"rendered":"Leftists Stew About Tory Contacts With White Nationalists: The Campaign to Keep People Isolated &#038; Not Talking to One Another"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"gmail-col-md-10 gmail-col-md-offset-1 gmail-single_featurecontent\">\n<div class=\"gmail-col-xs-12 gmail-col-sm-10 gmail-col-sm-offset-1 gmail-mainFeature__content\">\n<div class=\"gmail-mainFeature__title\">\n<h1 id=\"gmail-animate-color\" class=\"gmail-mainFeature__highlight--wrapping gmail-mainFeature__highlight--color\"><span id=\"gmail-animate-it\" class=\"gmail-happy-link gmail-happy-link-a\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; font-size: xx-large;\">\u00a0Leftists Stew About Tory Contacts With White Nationalists: The Campaign to Keep People Isolated &amp; Not Talking to One Another<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"gmail-mainFeature__excerpt\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000; font-size: xx-large;\">Ontario PC candidate Donna Skelly gave a special \u2018shout out\u2019 to far-right extremists at a Christmas party for campus conservatives<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"gmail-social\" class=\"gmail-mainFeature__date\">May 28, 2018 <span class=\"gmail-mainFeature__socialMedia gmail-hidden-xs\"><a class=\"gmail-mainFeature__socialMedia--share\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/ontario-pc-candidate-promoted-alt-right-website-linked-to-hate-figures-at-young-conservative-event\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i class=\"gmail-fa gmail-fa-facebook gmail-mainFeature__socialMedia--icon\"><\/i>\u00a0SHARE\u00a0<\/a><a class=\"gmail-mainFeature__socialMedia--tweet\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Ontario+PC+Candidate+Promoted+Alt-Right+Website+Linked+to+Hate+Figures+at+Young+Conservative%C2%A0Event(https:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/ontario-pc-candidate-promoted-alt-right-website-linked-to-hate-figures-at-young-conservative-event\/)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i class=\"gmail-fa gmail-fa-twitter gmail-mainFeature__socialMedia--icon\"><\/i>\u00a0TWEET<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-col-md-8 gmail-col-md-offset-2 gmail-col-sm-10 gmail-col-sm-offset-1 gmail-content gmail-single__content\">\n<p>An Ontario PC candidate promoted a controversial alt-right website that has a well-documented history amplifying some of Canada\u2019s most toxic and racist personalities during an event for young conservatives in Hamilton last Christmas.<\/p>\n<p>A photo from the event shows Donna Skelly, a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/hamilton\/news\/chch-reporters-hosts-say-thank-you-and-goodbye-1.3367689\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">former CHCH broadcaster<\/a>\u00a0turned\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hamilton.ca\/council-committee\/mayor-councillors\/ward-7-donna-skelly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">city councillor<\/a>\u00a0who is currently running for Doug Ford\u2019s Ontario PCs in the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/hamilton\/skelly-nomination-1.4342606\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hamilton-area riding of\u00a0Flamborough-Glanbrook<\/a>, waving a red hat displaying the words \u2018Free Bird Media\u2019 \u2013 an imitation of Donald Trump\u2019s\u00a0\u2018Make America Great Again\u2019 hat.<\/p>\n<p>Except \u2018Free Bird Media\u2019 is an alt-right website whose video archives are filled with hours of speeches and interviews featuring prominent figures on Canada\u2019s far-right, including two men recently charged with hate crimes.<\/p>\n<p>According to a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/events\/262102507654388\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook event page<\/a>\u00a0for last December\u2019s \u201cHamilton Conservative Christmas Formal,\u201d organized by members of McMaster University and Mohawk College\u2019s campus conservative clubs, Skelly was booked as a guest speaker alongside characters from Canada\u2019s online alt-right, including FBM founder Alex Van Hamme.<\/p>\n<p>The photo from the event, uploaded to Facebook by Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, the alt-right website\u2019s \u201ccreative director,\u201d is accompanied by a message that reads:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u00a0\u201cThanks to Donna Skelly \u2013 Ward 7 Councillor for the shout out!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"gmail-attachment_14518\" class=\"gmail-wp-caption gmail-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-14518\" src=\"http:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/skelly-freebirdmedia-hamiltonconservative-event.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"940\" height=\"1155\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"gmail-wp-caption-text\">Facebook<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Skelly\u2019s campaign did not respond to a request for comment from\u00a0<em>PressProgress<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>FBM purports to be a platform that promotes \u201cfreedom of speech,\u201d yet the website that received a special \u201cshout out\u201d from the sitting Hamilton city councillor and current Ontario PC candidate is filled with\u00a0speeches and interviews from some of the most radical and extreme figures on Canada\u2019s far-right.<\/p>\n<p>FBM\u2019s YouTube channel includes videos featuring the following personalities:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Paul Fromm:<\/strong>\u00a0Described by the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/anti-racistcanada.blogspot.ca\/2008\/06\/children-taken-from-ne-nazi-parents.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Post<\/a>\u00a0as\u00a0\u201cone of\u00a0Canada\u2019s most notorious white supremacists,\u201d with extensive\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/torontoist.com\/2017\/07\/toronto-public-library-refusing-cancel-planned-neo-nazis-gathering\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">links to neo-Nazi groups<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>James Sears:<\/strong>\u00a0Editor of the racist, far-right publication \u2018Your Ward News\u2019 who was recently\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/news\/crime\/2017\/11\/15\/your-ward-news-editor-publisher-charged-with-promoting-hatred.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">charged with hate crimes<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 according to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/toronto\/your-ward-news-1.4483817\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CBC News<\/a>, Sears published material that \u201cportrayed Jews as dogs\u201d and \u201cglorified Hitler.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kevin Johnston:<\/strong>\u00a0Anti-Muslim blogger who was\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/news\/gta\/2017\/07\/24\/kevin-johnston-charged-with-hate-crime.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">charged with a hate crime<\/a>\u00a0after offering $1,000 rewards for videos of Muslim school children.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Faith Goldy:<\/strong>\u00a0Former Rebel Media host\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/exclusive_conservative_mp_michael_chong_disavows_anti_semitic_white_supremacist_rebel_media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">denounced by Conservative MP Michael Chong<\/a>\u00a0for promoting \u201cwhite supremacy\u201d and \u201canti-Semitism\u201d after she appeared on a neo-Nazi podcast. More recently, Goldy recommended a 1930s fascist book advocating the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/ex-rebel-media-host-promotes-1930s-book-by-fascist-author-advocating-the-elimination-of-jews\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cthe elimination of Jews.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"gmail-attachment_14500\" class=\"gmail-wp-caption gmail-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"gmail-wp-image-14500 gmail-size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/FBM-interviews.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"940\" height=\"679\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"gmail-wp-caption-text\">YouTube<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>During an interview on CBC News in January, CBC News\u2019 Wendy Mesley questioned controversial professor Jordan Peterson about a photo featuring himself and FBM founder Alex Van Hamme with a flag featuring\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/comic-riffs\/wp\/2017\/05\/08\/rip-pepe-the-frog-creator-kills-his-iconic-character-to-try-to-fight-a-hate-filled-meme\/?utm_term=.9fc7e074888e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pepe the Frog<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 a cartoon frog used as a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.splcenter.org\/hatewatch\/2016\/09\/28\/pepe-joins-echoes-new-hate-symbols\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">coded symbol by the alt-right and other online hate groups<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Van Hamme, a guest speaker alongside Skelly at the Conservative Christmas event, and Peterson were also photographed with a white nationalist who was identified as a member of a group caught\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/torontoist.com\/2017\/11\/revealed-white-supremacists-behind-alt-right-posters-around-city\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">plastering racist flyers on the University of Toronto\u2019s campus<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"gmail-attachment_14507\" class=\"gmail-wp-caption gmail-alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"gmail-size-full gmail-wp-image-14507\" src=\"http:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/fbm-peterson-pepe.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"940\" height=\"561\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"gmail-wp-caption-text\">Twitter, Facebook<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Ontario PC candidate also had a front-row seat at the Hamilton Conservative Christmas Formal as Van Hamme delivered a spirited monologue on the\u00a0\u201ctesticles\u201d of\u00a0\u201cbiological male professors\u201d at universities.<\/p>\n<p>Van Hamme informed Skelly and an audience of young conservatives that academia is a\u00a0\u201cfeminine environment\u201d that leaves men\u00a0\u201ccastrated.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"gmail-botr_K1rwhLGa_r2awDppb_div\" class=\"gmail-jwplayer gmail-jw-reset gmail-jw-state-idle gmail-jw-stretch-uniform gmail-jw-flag-aspect-mode gmail-jw-breakpoint-4 gmail-jw-flag-user-inactive\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Video Player\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-aspect gmail-jw-reset\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-media gmail-jw-reset\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-preview gmail-jw-reset\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-controls-backdrop gmail-jw-reset\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-overlays gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div id=\"gmail-botr_K1rwhLGa_r2awDppb_div_jwpsrv\" class=\"gmail-jw-plugin gmail-jw-reset\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"gmail-botr_K1rwhLGa_r2awDppb_div_related\" class=\"gmail-jw-plugin gmail-jw-reset gmail-jw-plugin-related\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-afs_ads\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-controls gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-display gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-display-container gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-display-controls gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-display-icon-container gmail-jw-display-icon-display gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-icon gmail-jw-icon-display gmail-jw-button-color gmail-jw-reset\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Start Playback\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-nextup-container gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-nextup gmail-jw-background-color gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-nextup-tooltip gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-nextup-body gmail-jw-reset\">\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-nextup-header gmail-jw-reset\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-nextup-title gmail-jw-reset\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gmail-jw-nextup-duration gmail-jw-reset\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"gmail-jw-icon gmail-jw-nextup-close gmail-jw-reset\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Next Up Close\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Dzsurdzsa, the FBM director who uploaded the photo of Skelly, also openly touts his experience serving as\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/archive.is\/MyaOE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">deputy editor of the US-based Russia Insider<\/a>\u00a0website.<\/p>\n<p>According to news outlets ranging\u00a0from\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-europe-30040363\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BBC News<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/russia-putin-bots-linkedin-facebook-trump-clinton-kremlin-critics-poison-war-645696\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Newsweek<\/a>, Russia Insider is a\u00a0\u201cPro-Kremlin propaganda\u201d site with a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thedailybeast.com\/too-racist-for-russian-propaganda\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">track record of promoting anti-Semitism<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Russia Insider\u2019s archives show the FBM director published articles calling on Canada to drop sanctions and establish a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/archive.is\/8UDmN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201chealthy trade partnership with Russia\u201d<\/a>and insinuated Bill C-51 may have been \u201cpurposefully\u201d designed to make it\u00a0a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/archive.is\/gXcnZ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201ccriminal offence\u201d to express \u201cvocal support for Russia.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0Leftists Stew About Tory Contacts With White Nationalists: The Campaign to Keep People Isolated &amp; Not Talking to One Another Ontario PC candidate Donna Skelly gave a special \u2018shout out\u2019 to far-right extremists at a Christmas party for campus conservatives &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/?p=2356\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1359,1356,1355,1358,1357,1108,1360,1361,38],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2356"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2357,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356\/revisions\/2357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cafe.nfshost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}