Marc Lemire

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Marc Lemire is a figure in the Canadian white supremacist movement. He is the webmaster of the Toronto-based Freedom-Site, which he began in 1996.[1][2]

Lemire frequently worked with Holocaust denier Ernst Zündel in the 1990s and worked out of Zündel's Toronto residence part-time and often full-time until he was deported to the United States in 2000. [3] Lemire was Wolfgang Droege's successor as leader of the Heritage Front.[3] According to Matthew Lauder, a researcher who infiltrated the far right in Canada, Lemire has been national director of the Heritage Front (HF) since January 1, 2001. [4]

In February of 2005, a judge of the Federal Court of Canada described the relationship between Zundel, Lemire, as well as Lemire's development of hate websites and leadership of the Heritage Front saying: "I also have reservations concerning the scope of Mr. Zündel's knowledge of Mr. Lemire and his involvement in the Heritage Front. I believe that Mr. Zündel was well aware of Mr. Lemire's presidency and particularly of the efforts of Mr. Lemire, a computer expert, to develop websites to disseminate messages of racial hatred and to incite violence. Based on reliable evidence provided to me in camera, I believe that Mr. Zündel was in close association with Mr. Lemire, who was working full-time in Mr. Zündel's house until his departure for the United States in 2000. Furthermore, I also believe that Mr. Lemire had access to Mr. Zündel's website. Mr. Christie testified that Mr. Lemire was constantly admonished by Mr. Zündel about his behaviour; should I therefore believe Mr. Zündel's testimony that he never discussed Heritage Front business in his house with Mr. Lemire? In my view, Mr. Zündel and Mr. Lemire did in fact discuss Heritage Front matters in his house but most probably in Mr. Christie's absence." [1]

In 1997, he ran for school trustee in Toronto Public School Ward P17[1], and received 2,503 votes (or 12% of the total).[5] 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".[6] In 1998, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation called the The Canadian Patriots network a "hate website".[7]

Lemire's involvement with Droege and the Heritage Front began when he was a teenager in the early 1990s, but with the HF 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.[8]

Lemire was briefly a member of the Canadian Alliance, a mainstream right-wing Canadian party, along with several other far-right figures, such as Paul Fromm, Doug Christie and Doug Collins until late 2000, when they were all expelled from the party following their exposure in the press.[9][10]

[edit] Legal and human rights issues

A Canadian Human Rights Tribunal rendered a decision in August 2006, finding 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 though the Tribunal did issue a decision that "compelled" Lemire to provide evidence during the hearing.[11] [12]

As of 2006, Lemire is the subject of a federal human rights complaint 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 are scheduled for February 2007. [13][14]

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 alleged that ss. 13 (Internet hate) and 54(1)(1.1) (Fines) of the Canadian Human Rights Act are in violation of ss. 2(a) and (b), 7, 26 and 31 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and that these violations are not saved by s. 1 thereof. A violation of ss. 1(d) and (f) of the Canadian Bill of Rights is also alleged. [15]. 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. [16].

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Annual Reports > Country > Canada. Stephen Roth Institute: Antisemitism And Racism. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  2. ^ a b c From Marches to Modems. The Canadian Jewish Conference. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.
  3. ^ a b Justice Pierre Blais, Federal Court of Canada (February 24, 2005). Zûndel, Re, 2005 FC 295 (CanLII) (Decision on the Reasonableness of the Certificate). Canadian Legal Information Institute. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
  4. ^ The New Generation of Organized Racialism in Canada. Canadian Content. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.
  5. ^ Canada. Official City of Toronto Elections Website (Last updated: 1997). Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  6. ^ 1997 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. B'nai Brith Canada. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  7. ^ French arrests point to BC hate website. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  8. ^ Press Release. The Heritage Front. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.
  9. ^ Matthew Lauder (February 28, 2002). The New Generation of Organised Racialism in Canada. CanCon. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Warman v. Harrison. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  12. ^ Warman v. Harrison (Subpoena of Marc Lemire). Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  13. ^ CHRT Hearing Scedule. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  14. ^ Warman v. Lemire. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
  15. ^ CHRT Ruling. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.
  16. ^ CHRT Ruling. Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.
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