Saudis Demand Pro-Oil Sands Ad Be Squelched: Bullies, Cowards and Hypocrits

Written by Paul Fromm

Friday, 30 September 2011 10:57

Saudis Demand Pro-Oil Sands Ad Be Squelched: Bullies, Cowards and Hypocrites A pro-oil sands group runs some television ads urging, the entirely logical proposition, that Canada and America's energy future would be safer relying on Canadian oil sands production than on the human rights suppressing and, therefore unstable and vulnerable, Saudis. So far, so good. The Saudis hire a law firm to pressure Canadian television channels not to carry the ad. The craven CTV network caves in. Censorship rules. Then, several Tory politicians weigh in insisting that Canada is a bulwark of free speech and demanding how dare the Saudis. The whole incident, with the exception of the pro-oil sands group, reeks of bullying, cowardice and hypocrisy. A pro-industry group that promotes Canada’s “ethical” oil sands has sparked an international row with a television ad attacking Saudi Arabia’s record on women’s rights. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney on Tuesday slammed the Saudi embassy’s apparent effort to kill a 30-second advocacy ad that argues U.S. reliance on Canada’s oil-sands production is more “ethical” than buying oil from the undemocratic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The offending ad ran on the Oprah Winfrey Network in Canada, and is now appearing on SUN TV, but a planned run on CTV’s Newsnet was cancelled due to legal concerns after a lawyer for the Saudis wrote a letter of complaint." ( *Globe and Mail,* September 20 2011) So far, my case is clear: bullying Saudis and craven CTV. The latter should have told the Saudis' legal hitmen to take their threats and insert them in the backside of some wandering camel, or whatever that translates to in legalese. But here's where the politicians speak out and the hypocrisy would gag an elephant. "Mr. Kenney and Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver both condemned the Saudi legal tactic. 'Canada is a country that is a champion of freedom of speech. That is a constitutional right,' the Immigration Minister said. 'And we don’t take kindly to foreign governments threatening directly or indirectly Canadian broadcasters or media for giving voice to freedom of speech. We think that’s inappropriate and certainly inconsistent with Canada’s belief in freedom of speech.'” "Canada is a country that is a champion of freedom of speech." Really, Mr., Kenney? The words must have turned to moose turds in his mouth. * Back in 2007, Mr. "Canada is a Champion of Free Speech" Kenney moved a motion in the House of Commons banning Alexan Kulbashian and me from the precincts of Parliament and, thus, cancelling our press conference in the Parliamentary Press Gallery to discuss the Canadian Human Rights Commission's assault on freedom of speech on the Internet through Sec.13 (Internet censorship). * Despite the fact that 90% of the delegates to the December, 2008 Conservative Party policy conference in Winnipeg voted for the repeal of Sec. 13, the Tory cabinet, and that includes Mr., Kenney, have left this vile piece of censorship -- truth and intent are no defence -- on the books. This is a piece of legislation that, until Marc Lemire's successful constitutional challenge, had a 100% conviction rate -- legislation that would have been right at home in Pyongyang or Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. * "Canada's belief in freedom of speech?" Really. The Tories have proposed a sweeping anti-crime Omnibus Bill that includes even more Internet censorship. They seek to define "communicating" in terms of the "hate law", Sec. 319 of the Criminal Code as "to make available" Thus, even "Canada's belief in freedom of speech?" Really posting a hyperlink to a website containing material promoting hatred of privileged minorities could land you in jail for two years. * "Canada's belief in freedom of speech?" This July, the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism, a self-appointed committee of MPs, representing all but the now minuscule Bloc Quebecois, recommended that Canada ratify the 'Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems.' The Additional Protocol requires signatory states to adopt legislation and the necessary measures to criminalize the distribution and making available to the public racist or xenophobic material through computer systems, intentionally and without right. It requires member states to pass legislation that would cover racist insults and threats. " "Making available to the public racist or xenophobic material" would require even further tightening of our police state anti-free speech legislation. "Xenophobic" is the $10 word for criticism of mass foreign immigration. It’s galling that our sleazy, unprincipled rascally politicians would sign such international agreements that would allow them to gag their own citizens! And who was an "ex officio" member of this censorship-supporting coalition? None other than Mr."Canada is a Champion of Free Speech" Jason Kenney! * "Canada's belief in freedom of speech?" Well, you wouldn't know it from CTV's cowardly retreat in the face of Saudi threats. And, if this weren't enough hypocrisy, Jason Kenney is also minister in charge of multiculturalism. Multiculturalism holds that all cultures are equal and should be promoted and welcomed in Canada, a Dominion founded and settled by overwhelmingly Christian Europeans.. According to this absurdity, Saudi Arabia's vile treatment of women is the exact equal of Canada's insistence that both sexes be treated fairly. We note in passing an Associated Press story (September 28, 2011) datelined Cairo: "A Saudi woman was sentenced Tuesday to be lashed 10 times with a whip for defying the kingdom's prohibition on female drivers." Paul Fromm Director CANADIAN ASSOCIATIION FOR FREE EXPRESSION

 

Hear Paul Fromm -- The Fighting Side of Me: Overcoming Tyranny & Multiculturalism

Written by Paul Fromm

Thursday, 29 September 2011 09:28

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This email newsletter was sent to you in graphical HTML format. If you're seeing this version, your email program prefers plain text emails. You can read the original version online: http://ymlp182.com/zFJCf4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HEAR PAUL FROMM -- THE FIGHTING SIDE OF ME: OVERCOMING TYRANNY & MULTICULTURALISM ( HTTP://REASONRADIONETWORK.COM/20110927/THE-FIGHTING-SIDE-OF-ME-OVERCOMING-TYRANNY-MULTICULTURALISM ) September 27, 2011 Paul Fromm: * Wonders at the snooping and luggage damage caused by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now that Bin Laden is dead; * Details Richard Warman’s decade long attack on Internet dissidents — whom he calls “neo-Nazis” — in Canada; * Marvels at a dog-eating festival in China — 10,000 to be stabbed, strangled and boiled alive — and the absurdity of multiculturalism; * Denounces Obama’s education department for pressuring Arizona to abandon its English language quality monitoring; * Exposes Canadian government's hypocrisy for denouncing Saudi efforts to quash ads critical of U.S critical of U.S dependance on Saudi oil. * http://reasonradionetwork.com/20110927/the-fighting-side-of-me-overcoming-tyranny-multiculturalism ( http://reasonradionetwork.com/20110927/the-fighting-side-of-me-overcoming-tyranny-multiculturalism ) _____________________________ Unsubscribe / Change Profile: http://ymlp182.com/u.php?id=gmjhqsqgsgbbqguue Powered by YourMailingListProvider

 

Hear Paul Fromm -- The Fighting Side of Me: Overcoming Tyranny & Multiculturalism

Written by Paul Fromm

Thursday, 29 September 2011 09:16

Hear Paul Fromm -- The Fighting Side of Me: Overcoming Tyranny & Multiculturalism<http://reasonradionetwork.com/20110927/the-fighting-side-of-me-overcoming-tyranny-multiculturalism> September 27, 2011 [image: Richard Warman]<http://reasonradionetwork.com/images/2011/09/Richard_Warman.jpg> Paul Fromm: - Wonders at the snooping and luggage damage caused by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now that Bin Laden is dead; - Details Richard Warman’s decade long attack on Internet dissidents — whom he calls “neo-Nazis” — in Canada; - Marvels at a dog-eating festival in China — 10,000 to be stabbed, strangled and boiled alive — and the absurdity of multiculturalism; - Denounces Obama’s education department for pressuring Arizona to abandon its English language quality monitoring; - Exposes Canadian government's hypocrisy for denouncing Saudi efforts to quash ads critical of U.S critical of U.S dependance on Saudi oil. - http://reasonradionetwork.com/20110927/the-fighting-side-of-me-overcoming-tyranny-multiculturalism