Free Dominion is a Canadian conservative website. It was inspired by Free Republic in the United States, and some members contribute to both sites. The site uses the phrase "Principled Conservativism" to describe its ideology.
The lead moderators and former owners of the site are Mark and Connie Fournier. Fournier ran in the 2007 Ontario Election for the Freedom Party of Ontario [1]
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 about being open to Alberta separatism under certain circumstances.[2] Goldring was subsequently quoted saying that Free Dominion is "extreme" in its views.[2][3] In July 2007, a complaint was made against Free Dominion before the Canadian Human Rights Commission for posting material perceived to be discriminatory against Muslims;[4][5] the complaint was subsequently withdrawn.
Free Dominion and Mark and Connie Fournier, along with several contributors to the site, are the subject of defamation lawsuits by human rights lawyer Richard Warman and Liberal Party of Canada activist Warren Kinsella. In March 2009 the Fourniers were ordered by an Ontario Superior Court judge to turn over information about eight anonymous posters to the site in relation to the Warman lawsuit. The Fourniers successfully appealed this decision, with support from intervenors Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Canadian Public Policy and Interest Clinic. The court ruled that before the court could compel the release of their identities, a prima facie case against them should be supplied. [6]
In early 2008, the website was sold to Liberty News Service in Panama.