Free Dominion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Free Dominion is a website about Canadian politics with a focus on conservative issues. It was inspired by Free Republic in the United States, and a few members contribute to both sites.
Many differing viewpoints are represented on its forum, but social conservatism is the dominant political view. Users posting comments attacking the forum's owners and moderators are usually banned. A diversity of conservative opinion is sometimes found in debates, but divergent opinion is often 'shouted down' by site regulars, and proclaimed moderates are made to feel unwelcome.
Many board participants support the Conservative Party of Canada and some have a favorable opinion on the American Republican Party, but supporters of other conservative parties participate as well. Free Dominion members support a variety of different provincial political parties as well, based on their location - these include the Ontario PC Party and Ontario Freedom Party in Ontario and the Alberta Progressive Conservatives and Alberta Alliance in Alberta.
A fringe element of contributors have been linked to far-right extremist groups, and some of the more controversial posts have incuded holocaust denial, advocacy of violence, racial jokes and hatred against Muslims and homosexuals. [1] [2] Some users who have made overtly racist comments, used offensive language in posts, or promoted violence have been banned from posting.[3] Others have been tolerated or defended by the moderators such as "pity sing" [4]who had an extensive online "diary" comparing Olivia Chow to a dog and a comfort woman, and had her speaking in a stereotypical Chinese-English patois.
The owners of the site are Connie Wilkins and Mark Fournier, who are both Conservative Party activists, Wilkins being the vice-president of her Conservative riding association in Kingston and the Islands.
On December 31, 2005, Free Dominion made news when one of its frequent contributors, Gordon Stamp, resigned as Peter Goldring's campaign manager as a result of comments Stamp had posted on Free Dominion as being open to Alberta separatism under certain circumstances. Goldring was subsequently quoted saying that Free Dominion is "extreme" in its views.
