Marc Lemire

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Marc Lemire is a figure in the Canadian white supremacist movement, who works closely with neo-Nazi leader Paul Fromm, and is the webmaster of the Toronto-based Freedom-Site (which he began in 1996).[1][2][3] Formerly of Toronto and now living in Hamilton, Lemire was the national director of the often violent Heritage Front organization from January 1, 2001 until the organization folded around 2005.[4][5]

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[edit] Early career

In 1997, he ran for school trustee in Toronto Public School Ward P17 and received 2,503 votes (or 12% of the total).[3][6] In the mid-1990s he was a Canadian Armed Forces reservist.[2] In their 1997 Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, B'nai Brith Canada wrote, "Marc Lemire, webmaster of the Freedom-Site that hosts the websites of several of Canada’s most virulent antisemitic organizations such as the Heritage Front, The Canadian Patriots Network and the Citizens for Foreign Aid Reform".[7] In 1998, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation called the The Canadian Patriots network a "hate website".[8]

Lemire's involvement with Wolfgang Droege and the Heritage Front began when he was a teenager in the early 1990s. When the Heritage Front falling into crisis around 1993, he attempted independent projects on the far right, such as his Canadian Patriots Network before embarking in his online activities.[2] He resumed his activity with the Heritage Front within a few years, and according to the HF website, Lemire helped organize an Heritage Front flyer campaign in 2001. The flyers were titled in part Immigration can kill you, and included the claim that there was a connection between immigration and an outbreak of tuberculosis.[9]

Lemire was briefly a member of the Canadian Alliance, a mainstream conservative Canadian party — along with several other far-right figures, such as Paul Fromm, Doug Christie and Doug Collins — until the late 2000, when, according to The Report Newsmagazine, they were all expelled from the party.[10][11]

[edit] Legal and human rights issues

In August 2006 a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found that postings by Craig Harrison on the Freedom-Site forum (an interactive message forum on Lemire's website) contained violations of Section 13 of the CHRA. No liability was found against Lemire, although the Tribunal did issue a decision that "compelled" Lemire to provide evidence during the hearing.[12] [13]

A complaint was also laid against Lemire for allegedly "communicating and/or causing to be communicated" messages in violation of section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act. Hearings before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal began February 2007. [14][15]

On November 25, 2005, Lemire filed a Notice of Constitutional Question with every Attorney General in Canada, against the Canadian Human Rights Act, in which he challenged the constitutionality of sections 13 (Internet hate) and 54(1)(1.1) (Fines) of the Canadian Human Rights Act. Specifically he argued that they are in violation of ss. 2(a) and (b), 7, 26 and 31 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A violation of ss. 1(d) and (f) of the Canadian Bill of Rights is also alleged. [16]. As a result of the constitutional challenge, the Canadian Free Speech League, the Canadian Association for Free Expression, the Attorney General of Canada, The Canadian Jewish Congress, B'nai Brith Canada and the Simon Wiesenthal Centre have all obtained "Interested Party Status" in the case. [17]

On May 17, 2007, Mr. Lemire filed a Notice of Application to the Federal Court, for a determination of the Commission's claims of public interest immunity, in accordance with s. 37(3) of the Canada Evidence Act. [18]

In July, 2007, Marc Lemire filed a motion to stop the Tribunal hearing Sine Die. [19] On August 17, 2007, Marc Lemire received an adjournment sine die from Athanasios D. Hadjis, a senior member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. This adjournment completely stops the tribunal proceedings with no fixed date to continue, pending the appeal to the Federal Court of Canada.[20]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ "The new face of hate" CANOE
  2. ^ a b c From Marches to Modems. The Canadian Jewish Conference. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.
  3. ^ a b Annual Reports > Country > Canada. Stephen Roth Institute: Antisemitism And Racism. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  4. ^ Joseph Brean (March 22, 2008). Scrutinizing the human rights machine. National Post. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
  5. ^ The New Generation of Organized Racialism in Canada. Canadian Content. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.
  6. ^ Canada. Official City of Toronto Elections Website (Last updated: 1997). Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  7. ^ 1997 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. B'nai Brith Canada. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  8. ^ French arrests point to BC hate website. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  9. ^ Press Release. The Heritage Front. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.
  10. ^ Matthew Lauder (February 28, 2002). The New Generation of Organised Racialism in Canada. CanCon. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
  11. ^ Kevin Michael Grace (November 2000). Urge to purge returns: the Canadian Alliance, aping Reform, cancels the membership of political dissidents. The Report Newsmagazine. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
  12. ^ Warman v. Harrison. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  13. ^ Warman v. Harrison (Subpoena of Marc Lemire). Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  14. ^ CHRT Hearing Scedule. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  15. ^ Warman v. Lemire. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  16. ^ CHRT Ruling. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.
  17. ^ CHRT Ruling. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.
  18. ^ CHRT Ruling. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
  19. ^ Lemire Motion. Freedomsite. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
  20. ^ CHRT Ruling. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links