Canadian Association for Free Expression
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Association for Free Expression (CAFE) is a political organization based in Canada
that campaigns for free speech. It is often accused of having ties to the racist far-right.
Founded by Paul Fromm in 1981, it claims to be committed to the promotion and defence of total freedom of speech and opinion, which it sees as essential to the functioning of Canadian democracy
. It began in Ontario
, although it has since also been incorporated in Alberta
. It publishes a Free Speech Monitor ten times a year. Fromm has been CAFE's director and spokesperson since the group's inception.
Recent campaigns by CAFE have included organizing demonstrations for the release of Brad Love, whom it claims is a political prisoner jailed for expressing his nativist
sentiments (co-organized with the Canadian Heritage Alliance
and the defunct Northern Alliance
), as well as campaigning for the release of Ernst Zündel
and David Irving
and against Richard Warman
and the Canadian Human Rights Commission
.
CAFE has been vocal in what it sees as injustices against whites in the Canadian system, and has argued that the law does not robustly defend the free speech of whites, and is too weighted towards minorities http://www.canadianfreespeech.com/human_wrongs/index.html. Opponents have accused the CAFE of racism
, arguing that it does not simply support the free speech of far right
groups, but also endorses their opinions. CAFE leader Paul Fromm has been called a neo-Nazi due to his links with far-right political parties and Holocaust denial
. The group is a signatory of the New Orleans Protocol, indicating a kinship with White nationalism
.
On November 23, 2007, Ontario Superior Court Justice Monique Métivier ruled that Fromm and CAFE had libeled Richard Warman ordered them to pay a total of $30,000 in damages and to post full retractions on all the websites on which the defamatory comments were posted within 10 days. The judgement was upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal
in December 2008 with damages being raised to a total of $40,000 as Fromm was ordered to pay an additional $10,000 towards Warman's legal costs. Richard Warman responded to news of the appeal court's ruling by saying it "sends the message that those who try to use the cloak of free speech to poison other people's reputations through lies and defamation do so at their own peril."
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
that campaigns for free speech. It is often accused of having ties to the racist far-right.
Founded by Paul Fromm in 1981, it claims to be committed to the promotion and defence of total freedom of speech and opinion, which it sees as essential to the functioning of Canadian democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
. It began in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, although it has since also been incorporated in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. It publishes a Free Speech Monitor ten times a year. Fromm has been CAFE's director and spokesperson since the group's inception.
Recent campaigns by CAFE have included organizing demonstrations for the release of Brad Love, whom it claims is a political prisoner jailed for expressing his nativist
Nativism (politics)
Nativism favors the interests of certain established inhabitants of an area or nation as compared to claims of newcomers or immigrants. It may also include the re-establishment or perpetuation of such individuals or their culture....
sentiments (co-organized with the Canadian Heritage Alliance
Canadian Heritage Alliance
The Canadian Heritage Alliance is a Canadian white supremacist group founded in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Detective Terry Murphy of London's Hate Crime Unit alleged that the group had links with the Heritage Front and the Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge-based Tri-City Skins.Its leader, Melissa...
and the defunct Northern Alliance
Northern Alliance (White supremacist organization)
The Northern Alliance is a far right, white supremacist organization based in London, Ontario, Canada. The group started in 1997, and has been involved in a number of public controversies. The group's leading members include Jason Ouwendyk, Tyler Chilcott, Dave Ruud, and Tomas Szymanski...
), as well as campaigning for the release of Ernst Zündel
Ernst Zündel
Ernst Christof Friedrich Zündel is a German Holocaust denier and pamphleteer who was jailed several times in Canada for publishing literature which "is likely to incite hatred against an identifiable group" and for being a threat to national security, in the United States for overstaying his visa,...
and David Irving
David Irving
David John Cawdell Irving is an English writer,best known for his denial of the Holocaust, who specialises in the military and political history of World War II, with a focus on Nazi Germany...
and against Richard Warman
Richard Warman
Richard Warman is an Ottawa-based lawyer who is active in human rights law. Warman worked for the Canadian Human Rights Commission from July 2002 until March 2004...
and the Canadian Human Rights Commission
Canadian Human Rights Commission
The Canadian Human Rights Commission is a quasi-judicial body that was established in 1977 by the government of Canada. It is empowered under the Canadian Human Rights Act to investigate and try to settle complaints of discrimination in employment and in the provision of services within federal...
.
CAFE has been vocal in what it sees as injustices against whites in the Canadian system, and has argued that the law does not robustly defend the free speech of whites, and is too weighted towards minorities http://www.canadianfreespeech.com/human_wrongs/index.html. Opponents have accused the CAFE of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, arguing that it does not simply support the free speech of far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
groups, but also endorses their opinions. CAFE leader Paul Fromm has been called a neo-Nazi due to his links with far-right political parties and Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
. The group is a signatory of the New Orleans Protocol, indicating a kinship with White nationalism
White nationalism
White nationalism is a political ideology which advocates a racial definition of national identity for white people. White separatism and white supremacism are subgroups within white nationalism. The former seek a separate white nation state, while the latter add ideas from social Darwinism and...
.
On November 23, 2007, Ontario Superior Court Justice Monique Métivier ruled that Fromm and CAFE had libeled Richard Warman ordered them to pay a total of $30,000 in damages and to post full retractions on all the websites on which the defamatory comments were posted within 10 days. The judgement was upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal
Ontario Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal for Ontario is headquartered in downtown Toronto, in historic Osgoode Hall....
in December 2008 with damages being raised to a total of $40,000 as Fromm was ordered to pay an additional $10,000 towards Warman's legal costs. Richard Warman responded to news of the appeal court's ruling by saying it "sends the message that those who try to use the cloak of free speech to poison other people's reputations through lies and defamation do so at their own peril."