This excellent article written by David Lindsay of BC Canada was sent out by Paul Fromm on his Cafe website (Canadian Association for Free Expression) and it warrants republishing. I would also refer you to David Lindsay’s excellent website at clearbc.org for “Common Law Education and Rights”.
By David Lindsay | clearbc.org
Freedom of expression is the freedom to convey meaning. It is the foundational liberty upon which all other rights depend. A democratic society cannot exist without the ability to freely speak, write, and dissent across all spheres of life, without punishment. It is the gateway to all rights and freedoms, and the mechanism by which individuals can challenge injustice, hold those in power to account, and participate meaningfully in society.
Even within the legal system, expression is constantly under attack. Judges, prosecutors, and lawyers often attempt to deny individuals the ability to fully articulate their claims, present evidence, or question witnesses. Motions to strike, rulings on so-called “irrelevant” material, and limits on testimony/submissions all serve to silence voices. When your ability to speak is taken away in court, you’ve lost. Justice cannot exist if freedom of expression is denied.
Governments across Canada display a growing interest in controlling and prohibiting expression when that expression challenges official narratives, exposes Government malfeasance or criminal activity by its officials, and within its own Government. An alarming example is a form of compelled expression by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, which recently suspended Catherine Kronas, an elected parent to the Board, for her expressed opposition to forced inclusion of land acknowledgment by the Principal. School Boards across Canada remain some of the worst examples of both compelled speech and denial of expression by those who disagree with their woke and related ideologies.
In Kelowna, B.C., members of the public must seek pre-approval to speak at City council meetings, including those raising concerns about local officials. One must seek permission to criticize the very people being criticized, a practice that is undemocratic, contrary to the spirit of free speech and amounts to a conflict of interest.
Governments, institutions and even the judiciary, at all levels, are increasingly undermining expressive freedoms. Many of these efforts happen under colour of order, civility, or public safety, but the true intention is to suppress dissent against Government narratives, corruption and/or criminal activity. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes expression as a central guarantee, yet this fundamental freedom is the first to be curtailed or prohibited when power is threatened. Unless expression amounts to a criminal act, it cannot be demonstrably justified simply because someone’s feelings may be hurt, individually or collectively.
Freedom of expression predates the Charter. The Charter merely acknowledges its existence. As the Supreme Court of Canada has affirmed, this freedom is a foundational concept that underpins Western democracy. It includes not just the content, but also form—whether through writing, art, protest, performance, or gesture. It is a living, evolving freedom, not confined to traditional platforms and encompasses all technological forms of communication.
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Effectiveness is a critical component. Expression must be effective to be meaningful. Former Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice McLachlin, in the case of Harper v Canada, 2004 SCC 33, approvingly quoted from Justice Pell in the United States case of United States v Dellinger, 472 F. 2d 340 (7th Cir. 1972), p. 415: “Speech without effective communication is not speech but an idle monologue in the wilderness.”
Chief Justice McLachlin further emphasized in Harper:
“The ability to speak in one’s own home or on a remote street corner does not fulfill the objective of the guarantee of freedom of expression, which is that each citizen be afforded the opportunity to present [his] her views for public consumption and attempt to persuade [his] her fellow citizens.”
By compelling you to protest in isolated locations, you significantly lose your audience, your power and effectiveness to influence others. And they know it; using location-based restrictions as a strategic tool to control and prohibit effective messaging. Expression is deeply connected to place; location is as important as the expression.
Parks, city halls, and courthouses are not just physical spaces—they are symbolic and functional forums for public discourse, and are Constitutionally protected for expression with a concomitant duty upon Governments to ensure this is so. When Governments restrict or prohibit access to these areas, they are not just managing logistics—they are unconstitutionally suppressing dissent.
Political expression, in particular, receives the highest level of Constitutional protection. This includes criticism of Government, exposure of corruption, and challenges to public policy. Such speech is often uncomfortable, provocative, and may even have a sting to it—but that is precisely why it must be protected.
One of the most overlooked but essential aspects of expression is the right of the public to hear and listen. Silencing someone by denying a right of audience is a violation not just of your freedoms, but also the audience’s freedom to receive expressions.
This erosion of expressive rights has become systematic. A well-known tactic is the cancellation of events by venue owners under pressure from woke, Government-subsidized activists. These cancellations often come at the last minute, after travel and other arrangements have been made, and are usually based on false or defamatory claims. I’ve experienced this firsthand—most notably in Ottawa and Castlegar—where events were cancelled following falsified threats from individuals affiliated with Government-funded woke organizations. Freedom-oriented groups and individuals across the country, such as We Unify and Action4Canada, have faced similar attacks and cancellations. These “wokers” rely on intimidation (a criminal offence) and economic pressure to unlawfully induce breach of contracts.
Venue owners who cancel should also be liable for breach of contract. Those issuing threats or spreading defamatory content may be liable for civil damages or even criminal charges.
This type of behaviour by venue owners and wokers, depressingly illustrates how little courage Canadians now show in the face of adversity, threats, or attacks on their rights and freedoms. Passive acquiescence and fear have replaced courage and bravery as the norm in Canada, frighteningly leaving very few Canadians to “stand on guard for thee.” We must respond decisively against these abuses. Otherwise, expression can be suppressed by mob tactics rather than legal principles.
Media are often complicit in these attacks. Many rely heavily on Government funding and are reluctant to challenge Government orders. During COVID-19, Castanet journalist Rob Gibson admitted that B.C. media had been ordered by the B.C. Government not to give a “platform” to dissenting voices. This is pure, Government propaganda.
This suppression extends to legislation. Hate speech laws have been expanded to include political views that diverge from Government-approved, woke ideologies. The result is a chilling effect on public discourse. Advocacy for maintenance of traditional values is now routinely labeled as hateful or extremist. Even the word “family” has been branded as “white supremacist.” The RCMP promotes that people who “hold traditional views” are linked to extremism and have been “radicalized.”
The Federally proposed creation of “bubble zones” and criminalization of protests around schools, hospitals, and other institutions is another step toward authoritarianism. This will effectively outlaw protest in areas where it is likely to be most effective. Justification is usually safety or harassment, yet existing laws already cover any concerns on such rare occasions. The real goal is to make protests invisible and, therefore, ineffective.
Municipalities are weaponizing bylaws to target disfavoured groups. In Kelowna, I have received over 200 falsified bylaw tickets for organizing COVID-19 protests—more than $60,000 in fines. Other persons, including those supporting LGBTQ, BLM, climate change and international issues (anyone NOT attacking our Governments) have not been targeted, despite using the same spaces and equipment. This selective enforcement reveals the true motive: silencing one side of the political spectrum.
Kelowna eventually filed a Petition for an injunction to ban our protests throughout downtown Kelowna. Kevin Mead, bylaw manager, admitted this large area was targeted because of the effectiveness of our messaging—a direct admission that their goal was content-based suppression. Fortunately, B.C. has anti-SLAPP legislation, which allows us to challenge this misuse of legal process. If successful, our case could set an important national precedent. Documentation related to this case is available at clearbc.org under the “Legal” section.
Threats to expression also exist within regulatory institutions. Regulators in medicine have disciplined individuals for expressing views that challenge Government/College narratives, resulting in professional, expressional silence or resignations. Judges undergo Government-sponsored training on politically sensitive topics like Sexual Orientation Gender Identity (SOGI), raising concerns about impartiality and ideological conformity.
Governments and their allies are using every weapon at their disposal to ensure only approved narratives are heard. Even peaceful protests are being labeled as threats, while actual threats to freedom go unchallenged or actively enabled by the system.
We have a duty to hold officials accountable for policies and actions that restrict expression. This includes voting against censorship, challenging unlawful restrictions in court, exposing abuses of power, and refusing to compromise on fundamental freedoms (peaceful, civil disobedience).
Restrictions on expression are incompatible with democracy. The freedom to speak, to be heard, and to dissent must not be sacrificed for comfort, conformity, or control. If we allow expression to be pushed out of the public square, we will no longer be free.
England offers a stark example: the erosion of its culture, history, and freedoms has reached the point where criminals are released from jail to make room for citizens expressing opposition to Government policies such as immigration. It stands as a sobering warning for Canada. These actions permit treason by officials, enabling them to overthrow our culture and laws, while banning all opposition.
Looking ahead, state-enforced censorship mechanisms—possibly via new expression enforcement agencies—are a growing concern. Will such agencies monitor and penalize lawful expression here? Will Canadians face bureaucratic censorship or jail for dissenting online or in public? These are no longer hypothetical discussions— they are frightening and deeply troubling realities that require our immediate attention and public opposition.
Courage must replace fear. I do not care what you say, but I’ll defend to the death you’re right to say it.
For more information, please visit clearbc.org
12 Responses
As David’s former girlfriend I really do admire him for his legal expertise. I couldn’t do what he’s doing. I’ve been 100% on his side, supporting him. I’m the original world Wide Rally Canada organizer so I am aware what freedom of speech means. I don’t however agree with his religious views as well as the monarchist beliefs. This imo needs to go. I am very familiar with the petition the city of Kelowna filed against David and the rallies.
And as a German and passport Canadian I couldn’t agree more that freedom of speech and expression is unter attack. But we won’t resolve this problem through religion. Religion has been and always will be the biggest problem on our planet. David unfortunately doesn’t realize that he has missed the train.
Thank you for your comment. I skimmed through the article to see where the religious reference was and did not find it.
“Outside looking in”
Thanks for the tip about the book. You can download it for free online here (the quote can be found on pages 239 and 240):
https://ia600405.us.archive.org/16/items/ldjlj/L%C3%A9on%20Degrelle%20in%20Exile%2C%201945-1994%20by%20Jos%C3%A9%20Lu%C3%ADs%20Jerez%20Riesco%20%282009%29/L%C3%A9on%20Degrelle%20in%20Exile%2C%201945-1994%20by%20Jos%C3%A9%20Lu%C3%ADs%20Jerez%20Riesco%20%282009%29.pdf
However, it is not easy to get the masses up in arms – they are kept down by consumption, media, and nonsense, and this was also the case in the GDR: Anyone who began to distance themselves from the regime – and this was perhaps one in a thousand – was seen as antisocial, a lunatic, a reactionary. It’s no different today – people look at you with a look of stupidity or fear, even if you show them how to fly: they remain slaves. If you didn’t gradually learn to think for yourself as a child, it’s no longer possible later on – just like speaking. Not one of those GDR citizens who were more or less convinced socialists at the time – these were especially university graduates – found their way to becoming a German thinker after 1989, and certainly not one of them would openly confess to this and accept any kind of cuts or an uncertain future in return.
Here’s another book written and translated into English by Leon Degrelle, a truly exceptional European, describing his combat missions with the Waffen-SS. It introduces you to many valuable people:
https://ia803209.us.archive.org/0/items/Campaign-in-Russia-Leon-Degrelle/Campaign-in-Russia-Leon-Degrelle.pdf
Thank you Thomas.
I have just read both those books you have posted 2 times each. The version I have has been translated by Jose Luis Jerez Riesco, for Exile, and I believe, the book, campaign in Russia is also called, The Eastern Front- memoirs of a waffen SS volunteer, 1941-1945. The one I have. An internet friend brought Leon Degrelle to my attention a short while back, Leon Degrelle also wrote ‘Hitler for a thousand year’s’ found at Ostara publishing. What intrigues me is how fearful the victors of WW2 were of Leon Degrelle, he was a politician in Belgium before the war, he had the support of 20% of the population, the powers felt he would become the next Hitler and persecuted him his whole post war life, banning him from ever going back to his home in Belgium and orchestrating 7 assassination attempts. It makes me wonder why the EU is in Brussles.
I really enjoyed reading this book recently, The Burning Bush – speeches by Elias Simojoki, put out by Antelope hill publishing.
It is very obvious to me how all these revolutions in the past few centuries entrenched labor into the capitalist machine, I call them rungs on Jacobs ladder, here in the US, our casino overlords have installed dot headed Indians into midmanagement positions for internet development in banking and social media, it will be the final rung on their ladder before the beast system is deployed. How many Americans can fly is anyone’s guess, the eastern front is here now that I know.
I am currently reading Michael, by Dr. Joeseph Goebbles, 1930. from page 80,” ……..The Jew is the incarnate lie. In Christ he crucified eternal truth for the first time in history. This has been repeated dozens of times over the last 20 centuries, and is being repeated again today.
The idea of sacrifice found visible form for the first time in Christ. Sacrifice is part of the essence of socialism. Give yourself for others. However, the jew has no understanding of this. His socialism means making sacrifices of others.”
The National Socialist Germans workers party had it right.
Lost for words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX0xLL_rZSQ
“German chancellor” puppet and actor Friedrich Merz, a most dangerous “former” Black Rock operative was recruited, groomed and injected into German politics by his Zionist handlers. His stupid irresponsible anti-Russian war mongering rhetoric (reading from the Jewish Zionist script) makes Germany (de-militarized since 1945, effectively made defenceless) the potential target of Russian retaliation, invasion – a disgusting shabbos goy traitor who deserves death by rope – Can someone be as ignorant not to know about true history? So deeply duped, so stupid (what Germans call a “Speichellecker”)? – All the parties have been “transformed” into Zionist lobby organizations. Jewess Alice Weidel is one of the two party leaders of the AfD and of the Jewish Zionist Fifth Column within. – Nobody really cares for the vital interests of the ethnic Germans. There is no representation. What Donald Trump is for American patriots, is Alice Weidel for German nationalists and patriots. The same deception, and the same disappointment is to be expected.
I could only watch the first minute of the short video. It is truly sick. Germany is a completely occupied country. As are virtually all of our western nations.
The same with me. Too painful.
You all may be familiar with the website called ‘Calvin college: German Propaganda archives’, I thought i would mention it, in the archives, on the main page, scroll down toward the bottom and you will see an Article called “how we fought”. It’s about how hard it was to rent a space and gather in the beginning of N.S.
I hope the website I mentioned is still up, i don’t have a search engine on this old device or I would have looked it up myself. Its one of the two sites that will come up. Fortunately I have Monikas web page saved.
Edit:
How we fought!
I would like to share this from the book Leon Degrelle in Exile, p.174-175. from antelope hill publishing.
………..They do not like this because it takes effort. The duty of dog-Kings and of man-kings is to force them to go above their clumsiness. The partridges would throw themselves into the air, their flight touching the horizon with the reflections of a warm brown, almost red, ending atop the brushwood. It was very pretty. Without Dogo, these partridges would have remained no more then thick, bourgeois lumps, only going on foot. Always remember this lesson from Dogo, Pierre! Later, like him, like me, force people, even though they do not want it, to rise above their laziness and mediocre situations. Make them fly, even if you have to bark very loud behind the partridges, so that they can be birds upon the earth or beings with a soul in the undergrowth of men!
“Justice cannot exist if freedom of expression is denied.” (David Lindsay)
Wenn der Wind sich dreht…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLfuDjhApaU
A Dane from outside the area was elected mayor of a German city – his predecessor had publicly promoted the unknown, and the electorate had had enough of the party candidates. Twenty years ago, local people were still on the electoral lists – they usually received less than 1 percent of the votes. They had no chance, as they had no public funding or prominent votes for their candidacy – the manipulated electorate easily turns to a stranger. Those who don’t vote, believing themselves above politics, do absolutely nothing – they are often cowards. This is the state of democracy – it is a concoction controlled by rich Jews, and its judiciary, controlled by politics and lodges, allows criminal politicians to go unpunished: they have political immunity, meaning they practically cannot be convicted for criminal offenses. This fabrication, which deceives the people, only allows itself freedom, not the people, and certainly not those who want to lead the people away from democracy and towards their freedom, which is only possible through the end of the political system – currently called democratic. Bismarck achieved this with the idea of a new German Empire – an idea that’s not far-fetched even today. Ways to achieve this must be devised, people must be convinced – working less in public and more underground.
100 years ago, National Socialism was seen as a well done politically system, not democracy. Walter Tießler, later head of the Reich Office, wrote of this period: “If an individual in a town, district, or region set himself the task of conquering this territory for National Socialism and establishing the NSDAP there, he must in and of himself be a person who stood above the average. But if, in addition to this, he succeeded in actually achieving his goal despite all the difficulties that stood in his way, he would have proven that he had leadership skills and that he was a personality.”
Personalities must not leave responsibility and decision-making to political systems, but must demand them from a people who are only committed to themselves and the empire they have created – not to any foreign empire that calls itself political.
Thank you Thomas for this excellent comment!