The Fourniers Will Fight On!!!

Update (21 June 2015) – Connie Fournier and Mark Fournier, the only remaining defendants in this action have rejected an offer to settle of $1 in damages plus $2,500 costs each that I would donate to charity (outlined below). I suggest people remember this next time they ask for $.

Everyone else surrendered last week.  The Fourniers, however, want to throw away even more money. Because they're royal fuck-heads who think losing a string of legal decisions will secure them a place in history.  And, by the way, if you wonder why I wonder at all the panic over C-51: why I suspect resistance to it might be spearheaded by a coalition of gassed-out but unfortunately not yet overdosed hippies and white supremacists getting too old for their leathers...its because C-51 is The Fourniers latest windmill to charge at.  Read the gist of their opposition to it here: its nutz.  But The Left has embraced it.  So maybe they're nutz too.  That's my line of reasoning.

You're Not Helping

I am conflicted re Bill C51.  Michael Geist is a pretty smart guy; the information sharing provisions do seem overly broad.  But since the Snowden revelations never impressed me (its all meta-stuff about spies spying), I sometimes find myself wondering if at least some of the complaints over C51 are similarly over-egged.

And so then Connie Fournier of (the relaunched) Free Dominion comes along and writes this for Open Media:

The part of the Bill that concerns me most is that provides CSIS with the power to "disrupt" groups of Canadian citizens. This word sets off alarm bells for a couple of reasons.

First, it is a word that was used in a "Five Eyes" PowerPoint presentation that was released some time ago by Edward Snowden. The "Five Eyes" countries include Canada, the USA, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. This presentation was given to the Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group and it was entitled, "The Art of Deception: Training for Online Covert Operations".

[...]

Secondly, this is where it becomes personal. Beginning in the Spring of 2006, government operatives began signing up on our discussion forum, Free Dominion. We have since identified operatives from the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC), the Department of Defence, at least one Police Department, and many, many posters using proxies who posted divisive or racist comments in our forum. In 2007 we received a Section 13 complaint with regard to a link that was posted on our site. We reacted strongly and publicly to the complaint and it was later dropped.

[...]

We don't believe that it is any coincidence that the self-described strategy of the government employee who sued us four times and ultimately caused the forum to be closed, is called "Maximum Disruption". The fact that that same word shows up in the "Five Eyes" powerpoint, and that it also shows up in Bill C-51 is, to say the least, chilling.

OK,  now we've hopped the train to crazy town.  And just to address one point.  FreeD's problem with racist comments didn't stem from undercover cops, "operatives" from the CHRC, or anonymous posters.  They were typically contained in diatribes by the likes of long-time regulars such as Ed Kennedy, Bill Whatcott, Marc Lemire, and EdS.  You can google their names.  They were hate-mongering lunatics, and all members in good standing at FreeD until they became too toxic to keep around.

Of course, nobody reads Open Media but, arguably, people read The Tyee, so its particularly disappointing to see the same kind of nonsense expressed over there.

In brief, if you are dealing with thr Fourniers you're dealing with kooks.  Having these people on board the anti-C51 cause will not help it.

Fourniers Lose In Court

I've got to be a bit mysterious here, though I doubt my readers can keep straight all of the legal actions FreeD owners Mark and Connie Fournier are caught up in these days anyway.  Suffice to say that they've lost another round in one of them:

You can see it better if you click on the image, but to paraphrase the judge: "You facts are feeble, your argument is crap.  I am taking 4,000 of your $s and giving them to lawyers....Sssuckahs!"  Looks like Mark and Connie will be doing another fundraiser soon.

FreeD Makes The Big Leagues: Norton Software Dubs It A "Hate" Site

So I was checking out the wifi at my new place by downloading a few software updates and got something from Norton that I didn't want (and have since uninstalled).  I find out about it when I cruise over to FreeD to wallow in teh crazy and see this (looks better when you click on it):

Now, FreeD's been pretty tame lately, especially since they kicked out Ed Kennedy.  And really, even at its worst, it was 95% lunatic conservatism, only 15% actual hate.  But whatever.  The folks at Norton have them on their official shit-list.  Whether they are deserving or not, I would be interesting in knowing how this list is compiled.

Campaign To Repeal Section 13 of Human Rights Act Off To Blistering Start!

After nearly a week, FreeD's petition on behalf of  MP Brian Storseth's Bill C-304 (to repeal the Hate Speech clause of the Canadian Human Rights Act) has gathered a whopping 19 signatures.  But numbers don't tell the whole story. Galactus, Eater of Worlds, has thrown in with the Speechies.  Also Marc Lemire.  August company indeed.

(Note: click on image above for better view)

Say No More

To Free Dominion Members
Congratulations on your Free Dominion Banquet


As the leader of the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance, I want to thank you for the volunteer work you are doing to promote principled conservatism. Thank you for providing a discussion forum for the Alliance's National Council Candidates. It is through hard working volunteers like yourself that we will defeat the Liberals.


The internet will continue to play an increasing role in the interactive citizen government e-relationship. Free Dominion is on of the many steps in that direction.


[...]

Sincerely,

Stephen Harper
Canadian Alliance Leader

Free Dominion.  Where the secret agenda is right out in the open.

PS. Link to original document is here.  Blogger has sure picked the wrong time to suck again.

Free Dominionists: In Their Own Words

A "Principled Conservative" from New Mexico:

The Leftist are lucky we draw the line at the 1st degree of separation from direct harm, in providing for our own self-defense.

Just as they are also lucky that we cannot identify them individually who they voted for except when they admit it. Only them by State majority, or county/brought/Parrish.

Otherwise a great many of them would either already be either dead, or waiting their turn to face honest justice.

You know the kind of "justice" that actually punishes only those who act(including vote) to injure others.

Got that? Vote the wrong way and you're a target. Connie and Mark must be so proud.

Blast From Past: The Dawn Of The Speechy Wars

It's ancient history now, but nevertheless an interesting addition to our knowledge of the early days of the Canadian Speechy Conflict...

Connie and Marc Fournier--owners of the oft sued FreeDominion BBS for "Principled Conservatives"-- have recently received a large if largely redacted set of files from the CHRC (Canadian Human Rights Commission). They have created a .pdf of this material, which pertains to the first hate-speech complaint raised against them by one Marie-Lynne Gentes in 2007.

And, reading through the documents, it looks as though Connie and Marc got screwed. Not by Richard Warman or the CHRC or Marie-Lynne Gentes, but by anti-gay activist Bill Whatcott, who they have defended fiercely as an ally over the years.

(As an aside: criticizing Bill was what got me booted from FreeD. I told Connie and Marc: This guy is bad news. You need more enemies like me around to keep you out of the trouble your friends get you into. But they didn't listen. Later, they tried to have me fired. Whatever).

Reading through the .pdf, it becomes clear that Whatcott's anti-gay pamphlets, which he was distributing door-to-door (in Edmonton, I believe), bore FreeD's URL; in other words, from Whatcott's pamphlet's you would reasonably conclude that Free-Dominion was his website, a fact the Fourniers had no knowledge of (and something Whatcott did not see fit to tell them). So when the CHRC decided to proceed against Whatcott's on-line activities, they naturally turned on FreeD.

Interestingly enough, the gang at Free Dominion are still blaming the usual suspects for their troubles. Given their ideological commitments, I'm not sure they will ever be able to correctly perceive Whatcott's treachery.

Andrew Weaver Strikes Back

Back in the Climategate's early days, before it was shown to be a crock drummed up by the right-wing noise machine, a number of MSM outlets thought they could print any lies they wanted about what Climate Scientists had said re the CRU hack and the subsequent controversies around the IPCC. In the UK this attitude resulted in Rosegate, and Leakegate. In Canada, naturally enough, the morally as well as financially bankrupt National Post was worst among offenders.

In the case of UVIC climatologist Andrew Weaver the NP said, among many, many other things, that Weaver had called for the resignation of IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri, when he had not.

But now, Mr. Weaver has indicated that he will strike back!

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - April 21, 2010) - University of Victoria Professor Andrew Weaver, the Canada Research Chair in Climate Modelling and Analysis, launched a lawsuit today in BC Supreme Court against three writers at The National Post (and the newspaper as a whole), over a series of unjustified libels based on grossly irresponsible falsehoods that have gone viral on the Internet.

First off, get 'em good, Mr. Weaver! And don't be gentle! With a few exceptions, the "journalists" at the Natty Post are godless, crud-eating vermin and the flaming death spiral that their profession is in, plus their paper's many, many unique management misteps, have rendered them starved of both ethics and lucre. Stomp 'em, baby! Stomp 'em! Help me realize my dream of sitting in a MacDonald's and beaning Jonathon Kay in the head with french-fries from the plastic clam-shell he just served me!

And, here's some possibly useful semi-legal advice, because The Post has already caved to this kind of thing before and because you note in your news release that your suit:

...also seeks an unprecedented Court order requiring the newspaper to assist Dr. Weaver in removing the defamatory National Post articles from the many other Internet sites where they have been re-posted.

Demand the copyright to the story they lied about you in!(*) Richard Warman, in his effort to fight the various slanders against him, has apparently been able to negotiate this from NP as part of their settlement. He has used his ownership of the slanderous piece to successfully demand that Free Dominon, for example, pull their version of it from their website on the basis of copyright law and, with much whining and complaining, FreeD have indicated that they will comply.

And remember: generally, when you sue the National Post, you win win. This guy even managed to wring a six-figure settlement out of them.

And, if you need donations to fund your suit, there's a Cdn $5 in my pocket! More if you can use my wife's points card!

Mr. Weaver's writ of summons can be found here.

H/t.

(*) They have done this already, and I missed it: see par. 72, h) and i) in the writ of summons.

George Orwell Free Speech Award Dinner Attendee Killed By R.C.M.P

Jeff Hughes, better known on Stormfront as "nish in exile" is reported to have been shot and killed by R.C.M.P. officers in Nanaimo, B.C....

As ARC reports, one of Mr. Hughes' last acts was to attend the 2009 George Orwell Free Speech Awards on October 10th. He would have been in the audience when Free Dominion's Mark and Connie Fournier received their award from Doug Christie.

Out The Conservatives Day Swiftly Approaches

Connie and Co. at Free Dominion, after having been disappointed time after time by the Harper government re free speech issues, finally blew a gasket over the Investigative Powers for the 21st Century (IP21C) Act--which would force ISPs to disclose subscriber information such as name and address, and grant the police broad new powers to obtain transmission data and force ISPs to preserve data--and decided to strike back. Back in July, Connie wrote:

My proposal is that, if this government insists on doing this[IP21C], we strip them of their anonymity, too.

Every blogger and forum owner in Canada should begin compiling a list of usernames that have been used by IP addresses owned by the Conservative Party of Canada or the House of Commons, and we should set a day for a collective "reveal".

Well, I haven't followed the latest on IP21C, but it looks like the gang at FreeD is still...displeased...and it looks like a tentative reveal date has been set:

The 14th of September is nearing.....the day the house resumes sitting and the action begins...

...says ToryCanuck, one of their stalwarts.

Interesting to see what they can pull from their hats. Connie admits that Tory operatives have been pushing propoganda out through the message board for years. If they really can link pseuds to meat world interfaces, who knows what may follow?

Plan To Expose Conserative Operatives On FreeD Proceeds Apace

THE GREAT CANADIAN "OUTING" now has a Facebook Page.

A few journalists (Rory Lieshman, Joe Quesnal) are members. Obviously they take it seriously enough that they want to get in on the ground floor when the shit goes down.

Background here.

Free Dominon Strikes Back! Right-Wing Website Threatens To Expose CPoC Operatives If IP21C Is Not Killed!!

Connie and Mark Fournier, the owners of FreeDominion, a well known right wing forum, have had it with PM Stephen Harper and the CPoC (Conservative Party of Canada). Harper and Co. have disappointed on Free Speech issues often enough, and now the Conservative government is trying, via the Investigative Powers for the 21st Century (IP21C) Act, to "strip every single citizen in this country of their online anonymity". So the folks at Free Dominion plan to strike back! Connie writes:

... if this government insists on doing this [IP21C], we strip them of their anonymity, too.

Every blogger and forum owner in Canada should begin compiling a list of usernames that have been used by IP addresses owned by the Conservative Party of Canada or the House of Commons, and we should set a day for a collective "reveal".

And then Connie admits what long-time FreeD watchers have always suspected:

These people have had no problem using FD and sites like it as a free vehicle for their Party propaganda. Why should they have the advantage of distancing themselves from their own anonymous comments when they are trying to take that freedom away from us?

So that's where it stands at the moment. Conservative operatives have long been frequented FreeD, along with the likes of Bill Whatcott, Arthur Topham, and Peter Kouba. A list of their IP addresses is even now being prepared and, if IP21C has not been killed by a date yet to be determined, these IPs willed be spilled to to the world.

Free D denizens seem to be down with the plan, and I don't believe the Fournier's threats to be entirely empty. The roots of FreeDominion extend deep into the Conservative Party. For example, Mark Fournier once served as campaign manager for CPoC MP Peter Goldring.

When it all goes down, you can bet BCLSB will be there.

Your Daily Nazi: Holocaust Museum Shooter's Canadian Connections!

In 1996, long before he became a Speechy warrior, and pre-Heritage Front, Marc Lemire, who Connie Fournier now regrets banning from Free Dominion, and who Mark Steyn once described as having done "sterling work" in his Section 13 constitutional challenge, was flogging audio-tapes of Ernst Zundel's Zundel Radio broadcasts over Toronto FreeNet, a kind of clumsy pre-Internet BBs service that I remember well (they also had a writer's forum).

In any case, several of the interviews Ernst recorded (and Marc presumably profited from the sale of) were:

# 57 and # 58. James von Brunn, American artist and businessman, talks with EZ about his failed attempt to arrest, at gun point, the Board Members ofthe Federal Reserve in Washington. Von Brunn was arrested, tried andconvicted to 8 years' imprisonment in a federal penitentiary byquestionable legal maneuvers.

(Note: if you click through the link to Nizkor, scroll way down, as its a big file.)

And, yeah, its our guy--"artist", Holocaust denier, and murderer James W. von Brunn; the incident he is talking about is described in greater detail here. In that piece, Michael Tomasky asks:

So this is the second act of right-wing terror, the first being the murder of Dr. Tiller, in a mere three weeks. These are terrorists, as surely as Zawahiri is. Will Rush Limbaugh and the other demagogues like him call them that?

And I would just add: does that mean that all the folks above--Connie, Mark, Marc, and so forth-- have (admittedly tentative) connections to right-wing terror?

We'll just let that question hang in the air, and hum some ominous music.

CPoC And Free Dominion: Was There A Deal?

Mostly, it seems, the party has been giving that far right forum the rubber-glove treatment. They've been burned too many times, I suppose. But, according to Connie Fournier, this changed for a short time at the end of last year:

When the Coalition decided to try to oust Harper, some of my old friends approached me and asked for help. They convinced me that the prospect of a leftwing coalition government was worse than keeping Harper.

However, once the CPC saw that I was willing to support them in the fight against the coalition, I started to get emails from a gmail address and the person claimed to be a party operative who needed to use gmail because they didn't want our email exchanges to fall under Access to Information.

The first email was complaining about two liberal trolls who were monopolizing the board at the time. He asked for them to be banned, and he suggested that the CPC would help us with our legal troubles if I helped them.

I didn't have a problem with the banning request because they were obviously not conservatives, and they were obviously using FD to promote their own socialist agendas. I explained to the guy in no uncertain terms that FD would never ban conservatives who were speaking out against the CPC.

The next email targeted a few more left-leaning people, only this time he didn't just ask for them to be banned. He wanted me to provide him with their IP addresses because he said that they could make arrangements to get them kicked off the internet.

It ended there.

Even though FD wasn't saving IP addresses anymore, I felt physically ill for days to think that the party that I supported would ask me to do something so immoral. I felt like I was a victim of Stockholm Syndrome and I had almost been sucked in to helping the very people who are holding us hostage.

Interesting if true. It has become evident that much of the "grassroots" response to the NDP/Lib./Bloc coalition was organized from within the CPoC itself, and this would merely be further evidence. I'm not sure how one kicks someone off the Internet (unless they had written something seditious), but perhaps that is not exactly what the original writer meant to imply.

Any of my regulars remember who the "liberal trolls" in question were?

FreeD Denizon Acquitted

Charges have been dropped in the case against a Horton Township farmer and two members of the Ontario Landowners Association. OLA President Jack MacLaren, Director Ed Kennedy and farm owner Larry Reid were charged with mischeif last June after a protest at the Horton Township Offices. MacLaren explains to myFM why the charges were acquitted.

Ed Kennedy is a long-time FreeD participant. Some background on the case here.

For Those Who Can't Get Enough Of Teh Crazy

FreeD is supposed to be back up and running by Monday, after what must be a record-setting three day outage. Is this related to the state of their legal case re. Warman and etc.?

Wild speculation is welcome in the comments, but I hope everyone has saved their screenshots of the juciy bits.

RedEnsign1986 wrote:

I was able to contact mark on facebook and he said that both their emailers are down too so they have been out of contact.He said FD should be back online on Monday.

I gave him the url for this site so he and connie might be on here later.

And I, apparently, am becoming the Perez Hilton for Canada's Far Right.

With Friends Like These...

Maybe hard to read, but all from the FreeD Facebook page: Bill Noble, Paul Fromm, and Craig Chandler. Mr. Noble is probably wondering how he got stuck next to those to putzes.

Whig Standard On On-Line Libel

A nice editorial, based on the FreeD appeal of the Warman ruling:

Online forums play a different role in hosting public comment, but they must share the responsibility to determine what is fair comment. It's one thing to facilitate a discussion online, but it is another when that online conversation is based on falsehoods.

Individuals and groups deserve protection from potentially hurtful and damaging comments. That is why there are libel and slander laws to provide a permanent layer of legal protection.

Online forums, just like mainstream media, have an obligation to ensure that individuals post comments that are in good taste and stay within the legal guidelines.

One of those things that really shouldn't have to be said.

By the way, has anyone else experienced the following: defamatory remarks appear anonymously in the comments section, and almost immediately their target (or the target's lawyer) arrives bearing a legal threat, raising the suspicion that the target might have posted the remark themselves.

A local politician once emailed me claiming that he suspected the Tory machine was doing this to him: posting defamatory remarks about a local Tory in on-line forums sympathetic to the politician, and then threatening the forum with libel.

I've had the same kind of material posted in my comments concerning a number of the folks I've written about (including an accusation of murder), but was able to removed them before any lawyers showed up.

Is there a name for this kind of trick?

In Case You Don't Get Enough Of The FreeD Saga Here

Connie's on twitter.

Interesting collection of followers. The Conservative Hoi Polloi, as it were.