Further to this post,
The fatwa in Ottawa
let’s see if the Iranian embassy tries any more not so funny business this time. If they do someone should be thrown out of Canada by Foreign Affairs as persona non grata–PNGed as they say, see Article 9 here:
Iranium, the controversial film about the use of nuclear power in Iran, will be shown in Ottawa on Feb. 6.
The Free-Thinking Film Society said Friday the film will be shown at Library and Archives Canada, the same venue that cancelled a showing of the film earlier this week after complaints by the Iranian Embassy and an alleged security threat.
The society’s Fred Litwin said U.S. intelligence expert Clare Lopez will be on hand to discuss the film with the audience. Tickets are $15 ($8 for students and seniors), available in advance at Compact Music stores, Ottawa Folklore centre and the offices of Ottawa Festivals at 47 William St., as well as at the door.
Mr Litwin, in an e-mail, describes what happened the first try:
The Free Thinking Film Society provides an alternative to the ‘alternative’ – we espouse the values of limited, democratic government, free market economies, equality of opportunity, and the dignity of the individual.
…
On Monday, January 17th at 2 PM, I was informed by staff of the Library & Archives Canada (LAC) that they had received ‘complaints’ about Iranium and had decided to cancel the film. They offered to find an alternate venue.
I then phoned the office of the Minister of National Heritage (James Moore) to complain about the cancellation. I also sent an e-mail through the official website.
The LAC then offered to move the film to the Museum of Nature, but for a substantial fee. I really couldn’t understand why the film could be shown in one building, but not the other. I told the LAC that if it had to be moved, they would have to pick up the costs.
After conferring with our Board of Directors, we decided that it was way too late to move the film, and that we should hold our ground and insist that the film be shown at the LAC. At 6:30 PM on Monday night, I received a call informing me that the film was now back on at the LAC.
On Tuesday morning, January 18th, I was informed that the complaints had indeed come from the Iranian Embassy! At 4 PM, I received a call from a senior manager at the LAC that there were protestors inside and outside the building; that they had called the RCMP; who had then informed them that security could not be assured; and that they had no choice but to cancel the film.
I immediately got into my car and drove to the Archives, arriving about 4:50 PM. The building had been closed and employees were leaving the building. Few people knew what was happening – and I didn’t see any protesters anywhere. I was then informed that there were no protests – just the ‘threat of protests.’
The police then arrived and the fire department arrived. I conducted a few interviews and left with Clare Lopez for my home. After we left, the hazardous materials team arrived – apparently because of two envelopes left at the front desk – but that occurred after the building had been closed down.
So, there you have it. We still need some answers! What event on Iranian culture was cancelled by the Archives in December of 2010 and why? Why did the Archives cancel so fast on Monday? Why would anybody care if the Iranian Embassy was unhappy? Were there actually threats on Tuesday? From whom? Was there just the ‘threat of protest’? Why can’t people protest a film? And, why couldn’t the building be secured?
And, finally, why can the building now be secure on February 6th for the ‘new’ screening?
I applaud the Minister of National Heritage, James Moore, for his determination in standing up for freedom of speech – but it should never have had to go to his office…
I want to thank the hundreds of people who have called or e-mailed with their support for the Free Thinking Film Society and what we are doing. In particular, I have received many e-mails from Iranian-Canadians who thought they, and their families, had left the Khomeinist regime behind, and are outraged to see Khomeinist influence right here in the capital of Canada...
The e-mail address:
info@freethinkingfilms.com
Update: Ms Lopez will talk to Nick Vandergragt at 0900 Sunday ET on CFRA Ottawa’s “Sunny Side Nick“; you can listen live and the audio should be available later at the “Interviews” page of the website.
I would imagine the CSIS turnout will be good. To be fair they may need additional security the Minister has cleared.
I think the Iranian embassy was as much concerned about the guest speaker, Clare Lopez as the film itself. Let’s hope she is able to come to the showing, but wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t after flying here and being shut down by a Wimpy Canadian bureaucrat who really should be fired.
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i do hope fred litwin has sent flowers & a thank you note
to the iranian embassy… for their part in drumming up a
million dollars worth of free publicity for the film.
gotta love that “law of unintended consequences”
thing.
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The fact that anyone should even have to fight for this right — on Canadian soil — is indicative of the fact that Canada as a free democracy is in serious trouble. Tyrannical Iran doesn’t have to fight for its right to show propaganda films in Canada, but Canadians and Iranian dissidents taking refuge here have had to fight for the right to show a film supporting democracy.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Canada is in a state of bureaucratic dictatorship — the duly elected government in Ottawa isn’t in charge, unelected middle-level bureaucrats are in charge of running the country according to their own arbitrary rules.
There needs to be a massive bureaucratic sweep of those bureaucrats who have established their own “fiefdoms” and are ignoring legislation, the rule of law, and our fundamental Charter and Constitutional rights.
If they almost got away with it under Harper can you imagine what would happen under Ignatieff? Autocrats from top to bottom — not just with petty bureaucrats. Iggy would not only apologize to the Iranian embassy but would ban the artistic activities and free speech of Canadians and dissidents under the pretext it was “a security threat”.
It’s not what might happen under Ignatieff, it’s what WILL happen since the Liberal Party of Canada has abandoned its fundamental principles of liberalism in favout of absolutism.
Well-done, Mr. Litwin!
I’ve already e-mailed the Honourable James Moore (he deserves his title!) with a cc to Prime Minister Harper to thank him for standing firm for Canadians’ freedom of expression and assembly rights.
IMHO, the Iranian Embassy should be invited to leave Canada. They are interfering with our freedom of speech and assembly rights and because of their threats and bullying, they should be told that they are no longer welcome in our country.
I can see why Iranian refugees here might feel threatened. They fled the tyrannical Iranian theocracy to escape these kinds of bullying, arbitrary threats, only to find that the wolf in granny’s clothing is in the Canadian closet. Appalling. Since when does a sovereign Western democracy take its marching orders from the embassy of a tyrannical and violent dictatorship, who is here on our sufferance? They are taking horrendous liberties with our hospitality.
I have no words contemptuous enough to describe the capitulation of the LAC staff to the Iranian embassy’s threats. What utter wimps — and, it would appear, liars to boot, telling Mr. Litwin that there were protesters on the premises when, in fact, there were none, only threats of protesters.
What Quislings. What surrender monkeys. And yet, they’re probably the first people to laud the (ineffective) anti-bullying programs in their children’s schools. What hypocritical cowards. That’s snivel servants (sic) for you: overpaid, underworked, no-backbone, clock-punchers.
And it’s been happening for a long time. Remember when Liberal and NDP MP’s stood shoulder to shoulder with the Tamil Tigers? The MP’s sloughed off reports that the Tigers were extorting money from the community, threatening dissidents, etc. (this is in the public record). What kind of message do they think that sent to the Tigers? “Hey guys, it’s OK to keep extorting Sri Lankan Canadians and threatening them — even the highest authorities in the country, our legislators, don’t believe we are doing it!” I wonder how many of the so-called “unsolved murders” and attacks on Sri-Lankan Canadians were politically motivated and the result of “liberal” politicians turning a blind eye.
We can expect the same sort of thing from liberals in their treatment of any of the ethnic communities that have taken refuge in Canada for poltical reasons. Liberals have chosen complacence over vigilence, and autocracy over democracy.
There should be no reason why we take our leave from the Iranians in our own country. We should ignore ANY protest from the Iranian government and show the film. I’m glad to see it has been re-scheduled and I hope everything remains incident-free. The problem of hesitance, however, remains. We should be ashamed of our timidness, nay, cowardice.
“…that they had called the RCMP; who had then informed them that security could not be assured; and that they had no choice but to cancel the film.”
This is the part I find most offensive. If there could be no assurance of security, then I cannot fault staff at LAC for having a concern about showing the film in the facer of threats our elite security forces cannot cope with. This is the question that needs to be asked, and answered.
Standing up for freedom of speech against the Iranian bully is very good publicity for the CPC just before a (possible, although I think unlikely,) spring election.
What ricardo said. Well done.
“informed them that security could not be assured;”
Is this not the exact comment from the RCMP regarding Anne Coulter’s visit in 2010?
About the police; what Ice Cube said.
The RCMP refused to provide security? Then fire the commissioner, and if their crybaby cowardly spoiled overpaid underworked $100,000/year high-school drop-out Union bosses call for a strike, then fire the whole damn bunch. If they can’t find time between their “sensitivity training” classes and beating up Polish mental patients in the Vancouver airport to actually do any crime-fighting, then dump ’em — they’re a mickey-mouse organization.
What police in Canada don’t realize with “politically correct” policing is they are seriously starting to alienate law-abiding citizens by repeatedly doing this. Criminals have always hated police, but when you get non-criminals hating police then you’ve got a serious problem on your hands — you’ve got a recipe for generalized civil disobedience and vigilantism that can lead to insurrection. Which is exactly what the radical Left and wants, and is precisely why they are promoting a two-tiered political corrections enforcement and justice system. For anarchy.
Wake the f**k up!
James Moore was on CBC with Evin Solmon and he stood his ground. I was impressed and pleased to know that we (Canadians) had elected him to his office. A Man to make us proud, IMO.