As reported in this newsletter last month, Internet Service Provider Bernard Klatt and his Fairview Technologies Centre in Oliver, B.C. have been under severe attack by pro-censorship forces led by Sol Littman, Canadian spokesman for the Simon Wiesenthal Centre. In late February, the Canadian Association for Free Expression decided to hold an informational meeting in Oliver for several purposes: to explain to the townspeople just what the Internet is and isn’t; to explain what an Internet Service Provider, like Bernard Klatt does; and finally, to place the attack on Klatt and Littman’s smear on Oliver — “the hate capital of Canada — in the context of the ongoing assault on free speech and free thought in Canada.
We secured the participation of Doug Collins, Doug Christie, Eileen Pressler, Marc Lemire our director Paul Fromm, and, of course, Bernard Klatt. We rented a room in the Oliver Community Centre and started the publicity — ads in the local papers, radio spots, posters, and press releases. This was the only way to attract the intended audience — the townspeople from whom the enemies of freedom were seeking to isolate
Klatt with their media campaign of vilification. The censorship crew swiftly rose to the occasion. Alan Dutton was on every Vancouver radio station who would have him denouncing the rally. Communist Party candidate David Lethbridge went of the warpath: “‘This is simply a cover for white supremacy.
That meeting should be shut down,’ he said. ‘It’s time the town take some political action and get some guts. It’s a lot worse to give into fascism than to let them push their propaganda publicly in their community.'” (Penticton Herald, March 17, 1998) Much of the media created hysteria billing the meeting as a gathering of extremists.
Most notoriously, the Globe and Mail’s writer smeared both Doug Collins and Paul Fromm without even interviewing them. Under heavy pressure, the Oliver city fathers held firm, although Mayor Linda Larson, in a remark that seemed to betray a sadly closed mind, snarked: “‘I didn’t know about his seminar. I hope nobody from our community attends it. I just hope it doesn’t attract all kinds of skinheads.'” (Southern Exposure, March 14, 1998)
Finally, B.C.’s Indian-born Attorney-General Ujjal Dosanjh sent his thought police to monitor the meeting. “It’s unfortunate the meeting tomorrow coincides with the United Nations’International Day for the Elimination of Racism, he said, but stressed that the [free speech] group does not represent British Columbians.”
(The Province, Vancouver, March 20, 1998) At the very last minute, the Oliver Town Council reneged on the contract citing the possibility of violence, based on warnings from the RCMP and other sources. Dosanjh, B.C.’s chief law enforcement officer, who should have been first to condemn any threats of violence and ensure that the right of peaceful assembly would be protected, told an anti-racism rally in Surrey that he applauded the gagging of free speech. “It was the good citizens of Oliver who decided that they were going to act on the advice given to the by the RCMP that there was the possibility of violence.”
(The Province, Vancouver, March 22, 1998) Nevertheless, we held a press conference on the front steps of the town hall that had been closed against us. The press conference attracted about 30 members of the national and local media. With his chest gleaming with his war medals, Doug Collins delivered the speech of his life. Fromm and Klatt also spoke briefly.
“I’m in the business of providing Internet access and I don’t believe in censorship,” Klatt said. (Globe and Mail, March 23, 1998) About 25 self-styled anti-racists quietly picketed the press conference. Celia Newman, wife of the editor of the local Oliver Chronicle, which had refused to run an ad for the meeting, was prominent among the pickets. The two sides were peaceful. So much for the threats of violence. The cancellation of the free speech meeting eloquently made the point: free speech IS the issue and free speech is in mortal peril in Canada today!
Canadian Jewish Congress Boasts of Role in Cancelling Free Speech Meeting in Oliver
Jews interested in maintaining a good name for their community must be tearing their hair out at the totalitarian antics of some of their official spokesmen. “Working in conjunction with CJC National, the region appealed to the town council of Oliver to cancel the rental of space in their community hall for a meeting featuring notorious members of Canada’s extreme right, including Paul Fromm and Doug Christie. Executive Director Erwin Nest learned from a telephone call to Mayor Linda Larson that the town council had fears of a lawsuit should they cancel the rental. CJC provided material, information and support that ultimately led to the cancellation.
CJC learned from the Provincial Hate Crime Team that approximately 12 right wing extremists gathered in front of the community centre Saturday, March 21, but were faced by a large group of anti -racism picketers protesting their presence. Regional Chair Dr. Michael Elterman praised the town council’s decision to cancel the rental and the people of Oliver for standing against hatred and bigotry .. In commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination , Associate Director Marilyn Berger and CJC FACE to FACE Project Coordinator Michelle Gumprich joined leaders of the business, labour and human rights communities at a forum entitled “Challenging Systemic Racism.”
Sponsored by the provincial Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism, Human Rights and Immigration the program featured Margaret Eckenfelder-Director, BC and Alberta, Canadian Bankers Association; Patrick Kelly- Consultant, Treaty Representative and member of the Lakahahmen First Nation in the Sto:lo Nation; Irma Mohammed-Director of Women’s Rights Programs, BC Federation of Labour, Secretary-Treasurer for the Congress of Black Women Canada and Vice-Chair for the Coalition of Visible Minorities People of BC.” (Canadian Jewish Congress Electronic Newsletter, Vol. 12. #3; March 30, 1998)
B’nai Brith & Dutton Want B.C. Tel to Pull the Plug on Klatt
The opponents of free speech and open communication seldom rest. “A lawyer for … B’nai Brith is in Vancouver trying to convince BC Tel to pull the plug on an Internet service provider used by racists and hate-mongers. BC Tel should cut off service to Fairview Technology of Oliver ‘because of the fact that they give access to hate-group promoters,’ David Matas said [March 27]. The phone company confirmed that a meeting has been scheduled for … [March 30] between Matas and a BC Tel lawyer. Vancouver anti-racism activist Alan Dutton is also to attend. … ‘It’s basically that they can do it and they should do it. Legally nothing stops them.
There are standards that suggest they should do it,’ said Matas.” (Vancouver Sun, March 28, 1998) It might be noted that Matas is indulging in wild smears. None of Klatt’s customers has ever been charged or convicted of promoting “hate”. “‘There is no fundamental right to an Internet service account,’ argued Matas.” (The Province, Vancouver, March 31, 1998) When informed of what David “The Plug-puller” Matas and Alan “The Grant-chaser” Dutton were demanding, Bernard Klatt asked: “What’s next? The Palestinian treatment — air strikes or bulldozers — to take out a website?” (Penticton Herald, April 4, 1998) BC Tel spokesman Dorothy Byrne promised a decision shortly: In an April 3 press statement, she explained; “As a telecommunications carrier, it’s not our role to monitor the use of our network by our customers. However, we can discontinue service when it’s determined to be used for illegal purposes. We don’t want to play the role of censor, but at the same time we also don’t want to do business with any company that violate criminal laws.”
Hate Crimes in Toronto
A phone call is not quite the same thing as a conviction in a court of law, but “hate crime” statistics fertilize the hate industry. “A total of 187 hate crimes were reported to Toronto Police last year, a 7-per-cent increase from 1996.” (Globe and Mail, February 26, 1998) According to the report, hate crimes against whites check in at 7% (an exact tie with long-suffering gay males). We don’t hear all that much about hate crimes targetting whites – in a tie, it would appear that the media will reserve sympathy for the “queer nation”.
The report concedes that anti-white bias activity in Toronto currently exceeds that perpetrated against: Asians (6%), Muslims (3%), Polish (2%), Arabic (2%), and Aboriginals (2%). Perhaps this explains why “B’nai Brith Canada believe the actual number of incidents is higher.”
(Globe and Mail, February 26, 1998) DO whites report “hate” crimes at all? Alert Canadians will have memorized the maxim: “You have to be white to be racist”.
Rather than ask any of the obvious questions: do these stats mean that whites in Toronto are well on their way to becoming a bullied minority? Do agencies ‘monitoring for hatred’ arrogantly restrict themselves to English-only material? — the article predictably resorts to fretting over the toothless spectre of white supremacy. A heartfelt thanks to the media for feeding anti-white bias even as they (reluctantly) report it.