Free Dominion
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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 used the phrase "Principled Conservativism" to describe its ideology.
The lead moderators and former owners of the site were 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 early 2008, the website was sold to Liberty News Service in Panama.
Contents
Human rights complaint[edit]
Free Dominion and Connie and Mark Fournier were the target of regular lawsuits. 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Commission for posting material perceived to be discriminatory against Muslims.[4][5] The complaint was subsequently withdrawn.
Defamation suits by Richard Warman[edit]
National Post et al[edit]
In April 2008, Warman filed a libel suit against the Fourniers and Free Dominion as well as the National Post columnist Jonathan Kay as well as the newspaper itself, and bloggers Ezra Levant, Kathy Shaidle and Kate McMillan of the Small Dead Animals blog for repeating allegations that Warman was the author of a 2003 internet post regarding Canadian Senator Anne Cools that used racist and sexist epithets. Warman denied that he was the author of the post. The National Post and Kay apologized and retracted its statement and settled out of court with Warman.[6]
On August 9, 2013 the case began with jury selection. After 10 days of testimony the jury was charged. On October 2, 2013, the jury returned a verdict against the defendants and awarded Warman $42,000 in damages, plus costs which were later set at $85,000 for a total of $127,000. An injunction was issued on January 23, 2015 barring the site from publishing any defamatory comments about Warman. Rather than risk a third party posting such a comment on the site, the Fourniers temporarily closed the website to the public.[7]
In June 2015, Shaidle, Levant and McMillan all settled with Warman in exchange for paying him undisclosed amounts and the issuing public retractions and apologies in which they admitted there was no evidence that the allegations against Warman were true, leaving the Fourniers as the sole remaining defendants.[8]
Second libel suit[edit]
Also in 2008, Warman filed a second lawsuit for libel against the Fourniers and eight John Does. As part of this case, Warman asked the court to order the Fourniers to release information which could assist in the identification of the eight John Does: their email addresses and IP addresses. Justice Kershman ordered them to do so. However on appeal, the Superior Court overturned this decision unless Warman could prove a prima facie case against the John Does before their information was released.[9]
Footnotes[edit]
- ^ View topic - Mark Fournier Accepts Freedom Party Nomination :: Free Dominion - Principled Conservative - Party and Canadian Politics - Canada Blogs
- ^ a b http://www.cbc.ca/story/canadavotes2006/national/2005/12/31/elxn-goldring051231.html CBC News, December 31, 2005
- ^ http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2005/12/31/1374452-sun.html Source: Edmonton Sun, December 31, 2005
- ^ http://www.thewhig.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=623395&catname=Local%20news&classif= Source: The Kingston Whig-Standard, July 23, 2007
- ^ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070725.RIGHTS25/TPStory/National Source: The Globe and Mail, July 25, 2007.
- ^ Brean, Joseph, “Libel Filings show battle between hate-hunter and conservative blogger, the National Post, February 7, 2010, http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2538327.
- ^ Free Dominion
- ^ "Ezra Levant apologizes to human rights lawyer Richard Warman". The Georgia Straight. June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onscdc/doc/2010/2010onsc2126/2010onsc2126.html
