Freedom Party of Ontario bestows ‘Free Speech Award’ on Mary Lou Ambrogio; praises Caledonia activists

The week beginning Saturday, April 21, 2012 was surely one of curious contrasts for Caledonia rule-of-law activists…

During the day I was one of two non-native activists arrested for ‘breaching the peace’ as I was being assaulted by one of the occupiers on the Douglas Creek Estates in Caledonia.

• VoiceofCanada, April 27/12: Vandermaas email to OPP officer re April 21 DCE rally before two ‘breach of peace’ arrests

120421 Freedom Party of Ontario ‘Red Alert’ dinner meeting. L-R: Robert Vaughan, Leader Paul McKeever, Mary Lou Ambrogio, Mark Vandermaas, Gary McHale, Eva Ryten, Al Gretzky, Bob Metz, Bjorn Larsen.

In the evening, I was honoured to be a guest speaker and presenter at the post-election dinner meeting for the Freedom Party of Ontario where executive members Bob Metz, Robert Vaughan, and leader Paul McKeever explained why the NDP, Liberals and Hudak PCs are all nearly-identical ‘red’ parties more interested in promoting ‘wealth distribution’ than in promoting wealth creation and protecting liberty. 

• Freedom Party of Ontario updates, April 22/12: Ontario sees Red as budget vote approaches (speeches will be uploaded to YouTube when available, so check this page)
• Freedom Party of Ontario website: FreedomParty.on.ca
• Just Right Media, April 05/12: RED Alert! So Where’s the Right? Guest: Paul McKeever, Leader, Freedom Party [Just Right-244 AUDIO]

On the way home my very apolitical wife said, ‘The penny dropped after listening to the speeches. Now I understand the difference between the parties.’

Freedom Party of Ontario – honouring a great friend of Caledonia, Canada, liberty and democracy

Following Paul McKeever’s very thought-provoking speech about the red parties vs. liberty I gave a short talk to help honour an amazing activist named Mary Lou Ambrogio, VP of the Canadian chapter of the International Free Press Society (seen above as evening emcee for my inaugural 2012 Israel Truth Week Conference), and presented her, on behalf of the Freedom Party of Ontario, the party’s ‘Free Speech Award’ in recognition of her tireless work in giving a voice to artists, authors, politicians and advocates who have been faced persecution by those who fear the light shone on their lies and/or crimes. 

Dr. Salim Mansur to speak in Hamilton re ‘DELECTABLE LIE: A Liberal Repudiation of Multiculturalism’

The International Free Press Society (Canada) and the Hamilton-based Never Again Group have joined forces to present an evening with internationally-known and honoured Canadian political scientist Dr. Salim Mansur who will speak about his new book, DELECTABLE LIE: A Liberal Repudiation of Multiculturalism.

DETAILS:

• Place: Hamilton Spectator Auditorium, 44 Frid Street, Hamilton, Ontario.
• Date: Feb 23/12
• Time: 7:00 PM, doors open at 6:30, Q&A following presentation, moderated by CTS personality Christine Williams
• Admission: FREE
• More info: IFPS-Canada feature: Salim Mansur – Delectable Lie
• Purchase DELECTABLE LIE: Mantua Books – Delectable Lie

(More info about Dr. Mansur and his groundbreaking book below)

About Salim Mansur

Dr. Salim Mansur is an internationally-known political scientist who teaches at Western University (formerly University of Western Ontario) and is an accomplished author, speaker, columnist who often writes, with singular clarity, about Middle Eastern issues and Islamic extremism. He himself is a Muslim who has expressed great admiration for Israel. 

Mary Lou Ambrogio, International Free Press Society ‘connects the dots’ w/speech at Queen’s Park Caledonia Act news conference

Mary Lou Ambrogio, VP of the International Free Press Society, was the first NGO leader to recognize the links between their experience in having police refuse to protect their right to free speech from leftist extremists at the University of Ottawa, and the willingness of police in Caledonia to appease violent native extremists at the expense of the law-abiding victims. 

On Feb 10/12, at the CANACE/Caledonia Victims Project ‘Ending Race-Based Policing: The Caledonia Act’ news conference in the Queen’s Park Media Studio she gave what she calls her ‘Connecting The Dots’ speech…

QUEEN’S PARK NEWS CONFERENCE:
‘Ending Race-Based Policing: The Caledonia Act’
Queen’s Park Media Studio, Feb 10/12

Mary Lou Ambrogio, Vice President
International Free Press Society (www.IFPSCanada.com)
[PDF] [VIDEO – to come]

 Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Mary Lou Ambrogio and I am VP of the Canadian chapter of the International Free Press Society, a group dedicated to preserving Free speech. Our parent organization, the Danish Free Press Society, was born out of the Danish Cartoon controversy of 2005. Rioting and deadly violence erupted when a Danish newspaper published cartoons of Mohammed in an effort to test Denmark’s tolerance for free speech. Denmark experienced a major fail but don’t believe that something is only rotten in the state of Denmark. We now have several Free Press chapters around the world and Canada does not provide an exception to the need.

In March 2010, IFPS brought Ann Coulter to Canada. The cancelled Ottawa event made international headlines when bullies chose to silence an opinion they disagreed with. They formed violent mobs to shut down Coulter’s appearance. But where were the security forces to protect her right to speak, our right to have her speak and the rights of those who wanted to hear her speak? They were observing neutrality between the lawless and the lawful, as George Jonas said at the time.

This experience found us taking a closer look at Caledonia. We realized that what happened to us was borne out of the same thinking being applied by authorities in Caledonia, where if one group wants to inhibit the rights of others, the authorities will appease the potentially violent group and simply ignore the rights of the law abiding.

Stories & letters from final edition of Haldimand Regional News

UPDATE: National Post, Feb 10/12: Christie Blatchford: Caledonia loses brave, feisty voice as Regional shuts its doors
————-

Since the Regional News did not publish its stories online Christine McHale (photo below) has taken the time to transcribe some of the key articles from today’s final edition so we can share them with you.

In choosing to publish four separate items from four separate members of the Caledonia Eight in her last edition, publisher Chris Pickup left no doubt where she stood when it came to supporting those who have fought to restore the rule of law and end OPP racial policing in Caledonia:

Regional News, final edition, Feb 08/12: Selected stories [PDF, 9P]

• ANNOUNCEMENT (Chris & Kevan Pickup): It’s been forty years but now it’s goodbye...
• EDITORIAL (Chris Pickup): Residents have lost their alternative voice
• LETTER TO EDITOR: (Bonnie Stephens, Caledonia 8): Stand up people
• LETTER TO EDITOR (Merlyn Kinrade, Caledonia 8): Truth, justice and freedom of speech not allowed in Haldimand County
• ARTICLE (Mark Vandermaas, Caledonia 8): Charges dropped against Caledonia Eight, but OPP undeterred
• WEEKLY OPINION COLUMN (Gary McHale, Caledonia 8): Mayor Hewitt used your taxpayers’ money to control the message
• LETTER TO EDITOR (Gordon S. Munro): Where was the coverage?

Caledonia, Canada lose heroic watchdog of democracy as Haldimand Regional News closes

UPDATE: National Post, Feb 10/12: Christie Blatchford: Caledonia loses brave, feisty voice as Regional shuts its doors
——————–

UPDATED — It is a sad day for those of us who have fought for justice in Caledonia, and for those who value the role of journalists as the watchdogs of democracy.

The heroic Caledonia-based Regional News is no more. It published its last edition today.

During the past 5 years the Regional News was a journalistic beacon to those of us desperately trying to get mainstream media to cover the Caledonia crisis.

Its publisher Chris Pickup and her reporters never backed away from controversy, never let political correctness get in the way of telling the truth or taking a stand whether it was against the foibles of town council, wind turbines or the abuses of OPP racial policing.

‘No Blacks, Whites or Jews Allowed by Order of McGuinty’ – by Gary McHale

“…the law in Haldimand County operates as the law in America’s Deep South once worked, where there was one law for the white man, who could break it with impunity, and another for the black man. In Haldimand County, since the occupation began, there has been one law for natives and another for non-natives.“

• Globe & Mail, Christie Blatchford, May 04/11: Caledonia activist free to drop by Canadian Tire [PDF]

What does the term ‘Non-Native’ really mean? ‘Rights for Whites?’ Or ‘Rights for All?’

For five years we have been engaged in a struggle to end OPP race-based policing directed against “non-native” people.  During that time many journalists have used the ‘non-native’ term, including Christie Blatchford, author of the Helpless: Caledonia’s Nightmare of Fear And Anarchy, And How The Law Failed All of Us, in which she laid bare much of the damning evidence proving that OPP officers were given, and followed, orders to conduct racial policing. 

On May 04/11, barely six months after release of Helpless Blatchford wrote a story after witnessing the shocking testimony of an OPP officer attempting to justify why the force was again trying to exclude Gary McHale from certain areas of Caledonia after arresting him on a trumped-up assault charge (later dropped by the Crown prior to trial) in which she wrote the words above comparing the law in Caledonia/Haldimand County to the blatantly biased workings of the racist Deep South.  

• VoiceofCanada, May 06/11: Blatchford on McHale bail hearing: ‘law in Haldimand County operates as the law in America’s Deep South once worked’

But, what does the term ‘Non-Native’ really mean?

Mark Vandermaas letter to London Free Press editor

From: Mark Vandermaas
Sent: Monday, July 11/2011  9:34 PM
To: Joe Ruscitti
CC: Gary McHale

Subject: letter re tomorrow’s protest – requesting your side of the story

Mr. Joe Ruscitti, Editor
London Free Press

.

Dear Mr. Ruscitti:

.

Earlier today I sent out an email (cc’d to you) confirming that my protest at the London Free Press tomorrow would go ahead as planned from approx 11:15-1:00pm. I have spoken to Cst Holland at the London Police Service CORE Unit to let him know about the protest, and to confirm I’m not anticipating any issues. We will keep the sidewalks clear and we will not be harassing your employees in any way other than handing out literature.

.

I understand you are upset with me printing our emails and those of Leila Paul regarding your need to consult with Muslims before publishing her article. If the situation were reversed, I know I would feel the same. It was not something I did lightly, and I have never done it before. We have worked with media for years during the Caledonia crisis and I well understand that we need journalists on our side, not angry with us. Unfortunately, I had to weigh the public good against the consequences of burning my bridge with London’s only major daily. I’m sorry, but I would do it again in a heartbeat because the stakes are just too important.

.

If the London Free Press believes it is acceptable not to report fundamental facts countering the anti-Israel hysteria, and the the role of a religious institution in our community – no matter what the denomination – in supporting a mission which, if successful, will ultimately result in weapons getting in the hands of a terror organization sworn to exterminate Jews, then I must take exception.

Jacob Peretz to London Free Press: Coverage of Gaza boat story shameful as voyage itself

Letter to London Free Press submitted by resident, Jacob Peretz, who was the first member of the London Jewish community to show support for the Blue Beret vigil outside the London (Muslim) Mosque, on Day 3 – June 25/11 (I have made some minor typographical corrections).

Jacob sent a copy to me after it appeared in the LFP.

————————— 

Middle East

Gaza

I would like to submit a letter Letter to the editor July 5, 2011. The London Free Press (LFP), daily coverage of the “Canadian boat to Gaza” is shameful as is the voyage itself.

Billed as a humanitarian voyage to aid the people of Gaza against “Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza”, this trip is nothing but a provocation against the legitimacy of the state of Israel. The people of Gaza are proud to say that they democratically elected this Hamas government and the world has to accept their votes. These people then have to live with the consequences of a government bent on the destruction of Israel and the elimination of the Jewish people all over the world.

Is free speech at London Free Press now subject to Muslim approval? The ‘Leila Paul’ emails

The ‘Leila Paul’ emails:

.

UPDATE: Masters of Deceit (Leila Paul), July 07/11: True Patriot Love – Standing Up To London’s Mosque

————–

On Day 13 of the Blue Beret vigil to protest the London (Ontario) Muslim Mosque’s support for the Canadian Boat to Gaza, I released a statement announcing that the London Free Press had informed me that, despite two interviews (one by phone, one on site), and despite their publishing of several stories about the anti-Israel side of the London connections to the Tahrir, they were not going to report my vigil, or the evidence that led me to begin it:

.

• VoiceofCanada, June 22/11:  MEDIA RELEASE: Former Blue Beret to protest London (Ontario) Muslim Mosque support for Canadian Boat to Hamas
• VoiceofCanada feature: UPDATES: ‘Blue Beret’ vigil

On Day 14, I published my email exchange with the editor of the London Free Press, Joe Ruscitti:

• Mark Vandermaas – London Free Press emails:  [PDF].

A former journalist named Leila Paul contacted me through a mutual friend and gave me explicit instructions to publish her email interaction with Editor Ruscitti in which he states – among other things – that he will not publish her opinion piece about the alleged terrorist connections to the funding of an Islamic Chair at Huron College at the University of Western Ontario until after he has had a chance to meet with the Muslim community to try to persuade them to also write a piece.
.
Ms. Paul’s piece was never published by the London Free Press, but you can read it here in her original email to Editor Ruscitti along with his explanation of why he won’t run it:

• Leila Paul – London Free Press emails [PDF]

About Leila Paul

Leila Paul was born in Bethlehem in 1945 and baptized in the Church of the Nativity. She grew up believing she was a Palestinian Arab, yet became increasingly uncomfortable, feeling somehow that she did not belong.

It was this long ago feeling that would eventually bring her to the decision to speak out about her experience with the London Free Press after seeing the the paper’s decision to cover the anti-Israel London connection to the Canadian Boat to Gaza,  yet not report the evidence and facts behind my Blue Beret vigil

I asked Ms. Paul if she would tell readers why she decided to speak out now.

In her own words…

THE LEILA PAUL STORY

For years I tried to remain aloof from the issue after I started having doubts about the real, long term motives of Islamists. It’s only when I acknowledged the truth after Rory Leishman’s column [London Free Press, ‘Media Ignores Islamist Extremism, Sept 30/11 – also spiked by Editor Joe Ruscitti, leading to Leishman’s resignation] that I finally admitted I’d been wrong. Once the wall had collapsed, everything cascaded through. I did a second ancestry test and began to study the anthropology and archeological evidence to discover my instincts were right. My belief is that there is no Palestinian ethnicity but they’ve been indoctrinated by years of Arab Islamic domination. In fact, I’d long suspected that some of my ancestors were Jews and later converted to Christianity.

Free Thinking Film Society presents – Salim Mansur, David B. Harris, Bruce Bawer and Hege Storhaug: ‘The Problems of Immigration in Europe’

UPDATE: Watch Hege Storhaug’s disturbing presentation in Ottawa about Islamization of Norway (w/Bruce Bawer intro):

• Free Thinking Film Society video, June 08/11: Hege Storhaug w/Bruce Bawer intro[VIDEO, 1:04:32]

UPDATE June 04/11: The FTFS has advised that, unfortunately, Salim Mansur will be unable to speak at this event after all. 
—————————–

The Free Thinking Film Society, the people who dared to give you Iranium and Caledonia: No More Nightmares are now presenting an amazing evening of speeches and discussion about the security risks associated with the importation of radical Islam via immigration:

From the FTFS news release…

————————————

‘The Problems With Immigration in Europe’

June 08/11, 7pm
Library & Archives Canada, Ottawa
Admission: $20, Students $10

Please join us for an amazing evening when Bruce Bawer returns to Ottawa with his colleague Hege Storhaug to speak on the problems of immigration in Europe.

Bruce Bawer is an internationally-acclaimed author, whose recent book is “Surrender: Appeasing Islam, Sacrificing Freedom“, and here are some short reviews:

“Bruce Bawer has yet again written an excellent book….I truly hope that it will serve as an eye-opener for everyone.” – Geert Wilders

“Written with an urgency and clarity that makes it hard to stop reading and re-reading it. It should be studied by all who wish to understand the forces at work in the West that make an Islamic ‘House of Peace’ a brewing nightmare.” – Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Hege Storhaug is the information director of Human Rights Service in Norway and the author of several books on immigration and integration, forced marriage, women in Pakistan, and related subjects.

VIDEO: Native occupiers ‘respectfully’ destroy and burn Reconciliation/Apology monument & Cdn flag in Caledonia

In my last article I posted photos showing how OPP officers stood by and watched on March 27/11 as we were swarmed by native thugs from the occupied Douglas Creek Estates in Caledonia who stole our Reconciliation/Apology monument; kicked it into the road; smashed holes in the sides; inserted Six Nations flags; then carried it off to be burnt along with our Canadian – all while OPP officers watched.

Jeff Parkinson caught the action on video which has now been posted. Watch as a woman in a rage attacks the monument and then kicks and drags the base into the road where a plainclothes OPP officer from the Provincial Liaison Team then pulls it off to the side of the road before it gets carried off to be burnt.

OPP watch as natives destroy Reconciliation/Apology monument, then burn Canadian flag

UPDATED: Caledonia Victims Project, June 20/11: Caledonia Milestone: DCE occupiers & OPP respsect rights of non-natives during Truth & Reconciliation Rally

UPDATED April 03/11: Video of attack on Reconciliation/Apology monument

Our recent Truth and Reconciliation rally held on Sunday, March 27/11 proves that the OPP still – after five years – will not protect the rights or property of non-natives in Caledonia.

OPP officers watched as the Douglas Creek Estates occupiers swarmed and assaulted us, destroyed and stole our Truth & Reconciliation/Apology monument, and then burnt it along with our Canadian flag. The clearly visible side, partially obscured by the flag, says ‘ONTARIO APOLOGY.’ The side barely visible in the flames, says, ‘EQUALITY FOR ALL.’ The other two sides facing away from the camera say, ‘6N (SIX NATIONS) APOLOGY’ and, ‘OPP APOLOGY.’

Heritage Minister James Moore letter to Mark Vandermaas re Canadian free speech

After the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages James Moore stepped in to ensure intimidation from the Iranian embassy would not prevent the showing of the movie Iranium by the Free Thinking Film Society in Ottawa, I called his office and wrote to thank him for his staunch defence of Canadian free speech which sent chills down the spine of every right-thinking Canadian who is concerned about the preservation of that most vital component to democracy and evolution of human progress.   

• VoiceofCanada, Jan 21/11: Free Thinking Film Society: Iranium WILL be shown Feb 6th thanks to Heritage Minister James Moore

If you haven’t seen this before, sit back and enjoy:    

• CBC, Jan 19/11: Show will go on [9:12] (tough-talking Heritage Minister James Moore says foreign gov’ts don’t dictate which movies will be shown in Canada) YouTube [LINK]

The (very) Honourable James Moore writes back…   

===========================
[PDF]

Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
Ottawa, Canada  K1A 0M5

March 02, 2011  

Mr. Mark Vandermaas
info@voiceofcanada.ca    

Dear Mr. Vandermaas:    

Thank you for writing to me about the screening of the documentary film entitled Iranium at Library and Archives Canada (LAC). I appreciate you taking the time to share your views with me.    

The Outside Interlopers are Watching, by Gary McHale

Originally published in the Caledonia Regional News on Feb 23, 2011.

If every single person in Haldimand were to sign a petition and join a rally against the injustice that occurred the Ontario Government wouldn’t care as long as those outside Haldimand didn’t hear about it. With 107 seats in the province and Haldimand being a strong conservative riding a Liberal Government doesn’t care how much noise you make as long as no one is listening.

However, outside interlopers are listening – tens of thousands have read Christie Blatchford’s book, read the media reviews of the book, watched the news reports for five years and viewed dozens of videos posted on the internet. While the government policies that created the injustice remain, the government’s ability to control the message, to silence or bully people into submission has come to an end.

For example, take the recent story printed in the Toronto Sun (a newspaper that virtually had no stories on Caledonia in 2006-07) by Peter Worthington titled ‘Truth and its consequences’ which was reprinted in the London and Brantford newspapers. The story was then circulated around the world via the International Free Press Society, which will have a representative speak at our rally this Sunday, and was covered in Europe as well as in Israel.

For the first time major media has accepted the view that the struggle in Caledonia is part of a greater global civil rights movement against political correctness run amok. Worthington has seen that Caledonia represents something far greater than local Ontario politics. Of particular importance is how Worthington links the civil rights struggle of the 50-60s to the issues of Caledonia.

[…]

Read the rest of this story…

NOTE: the use of the word ‘interlopers’ is a direct reference to former OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino who repeatedly denigrated non-native rule of law activists from outside Caledonia as ‘interlopers’ while remaining silent about all the natives who came from outside Caledonia to help terrorize the town. The term has special meaning to readers of the original, hard copy edition of the Regional News which is distributed to every home in Haldimand County. The paper does not publish an online edition.

• IFPS-Canada, Feb 23/11: The Outside Interlopers Are Watching
• see also: Caledonia Victims Project, Feb 23/11: Queen’s Park ‘Truth & Reconciliation’ news conferenceMark Vandermaas, Editor
  VoiceofCanada
  info@voiceofcanada.ca

BULLETIN: MPPs Barrett & Hillier to join CANACE, Caledonia Victims Project at Queen’s Park news conference

Co-founders of Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality (CANACE) Gary McHale and Caledonia resident Merlyn Kinrade, and Caledonia Victims Project founder Mark Vandermaas will be joined by Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett and fellow MPP Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox) at a news conference in the Queen’s Park Media Studio tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 pm.

The purpose of the event is to provide journalists with information about our upcoming ‘Truth and Reconciliation Rally’ which will be held this coming Sunday, Feb 27th at 1pm. (link to news release below)

We are very pleased that Mr. Barrett and Mr. Hillier have agreed to participate in this news conference to show their support in furthering the cause of healing for Caledonia and Six Nations residents. 

MPP Toby Barrett – there from the beginning

Mr. Barrett was one of the original speakers at Gary McHale’s inaugural March for Freedom on Oct 15/06, and so it is very fitting that he should take part in announcing this, the next stage towards resolution now that Christie Blatchford has finally recorded the ugly, undeniable history of Caledonia’s victims: the encouragement of those responsible to apologize so both Caledonia and Six Nations can begin a meaningful healing and reconciliation process that is based on truth, justice and respect for all human beings.

His devastatingly concise ‘Haldimand Proclamation for Peace, Order and Good Government‘ of February 11, 2008 surely must rank as one of the most shocking and historically-important documents ever written by a Canadian politician:

• VoiceofCanada feature: The Barrett Proclamation

Barrett has previously made the Media Studio available to us on three other important occasions: 

• Dec 04/07: Illegal Smokeshacks (Doug Fleming’s campaign vs. Illegal smokes and violence by 6N vs. non-natives, Dec 01/07) 
• March 14/07: The Ipperwash Papers (release of 400 pages of docs proving Inquiry did not study violence vs. Ipperwash residents)
• April 17/07: FantinoGate (OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino threatens Haldimand Council via email)

PC Leader Tim Hudak – a voice of reason when it counted

We should also note that, at a time when Ontario government ministers, including the Premier, were urging people not to march with Gary McHale in 2006 because they would be putting their lives “in danger,” current PC Leader Tim Hudak was the only voice of reason: 

“…Conservative Tim Hudak said the government is ignoring the situation and needs to end the ongoing occupation. The rally shows town residents have had enough, he said. “People are not only angry, they’re damn angry,” Hudak said. “It’s an incredible double standard. On the one hand, the premier is against this rally but it’s carte blanche for the occupiers on the occupied site.” The province shouldn’t continue negotiating with Six Nations as long as the protesters remain on the site, Hudak said. “There is no reason for that occupation to continue,” he said.

• VoiceofCanada, Oct 12/06: Ontario MPP Tim Hudak – a leader emerges to tell the truth about Caledonia and the March for Freedom
• VoiceofCanada, Oct 12/06: Mr. Ramsay – why would my life be in danger in Caledonia?

ANNOUNCEMENT: Representative from International Free Press Society to speak in Caledonia

We are pleased to announce that Mary Lou Ambrogio, Vice President of the Canadian chapter of the International Free Press Society – founded by Lars Hedegaard of Denmark to act as advocates for those whose freedom of expression is under attack – will be a guest speaker at our Truth & Reconciliation Rally on Feb 27th.