I haven't heard anything more about the confrontation
between the Zundel supporters and the ARA street punks who were probably
paid to provoke it. I guess the media didn't get the "violence"
footage they expected.
For your information, a write-up of what is on the agenda
today at the Toronto Zundel hearing:
Dear Free Speech Supporter:
Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 14, the review of the CSIS
certificate declaring German-born pacifist and publisher Ernst Zundel a
"terrorist" and threat to national security picks up again
before former CSIS boss Mr. Justice Pierre Blais. You noticed that too?
Yes, certainly an apparent conflict of interest. The former boss has to
judge the quality and honesty of the "evidence", much of it
secret presented by his former employees.
The first item of business is submissions on our second
motion to have Judge Blais recuse himself. The first motion argued back in
November by Doug Christie, Mr. Zundel's counsel, centered on Blais's
obvious conflict of interest and past. The current motion brought by Mr.
Zundel's new lawyer Peter Lindsay centers on a host of prejudicial rulings
and injudicious remarks made by Mr. Justice Blais, including telling Mr.
Zundel he didn't believe his evidence, before his evidence was even
completed.
Yes, the submissions should be heated. The judge will be
in a testy mood. There should be some high drama.
Equally tense should be the appearance of criminal lawyer
John Norris of the lefty law firm of Ruby (that's Clayton Ruby) and
Edwardh. Norris will be seeking to quash a subpoena finally served last
week on John Joseph Farrell, a former CSIS operative who was in charge of
the physical interception and opening of mail to dissidents, including
Ernst Zundel, in 1995. His story and information were told in Andrew
Mitrovica's book COVERT ENTRY. Farrell revealed that, in May of 1995, his
CSIS handler repeatedly told him not to touch any package addressed to
Ernst Zundel from Vancouver. That month,. a parcel postmarked Vancouver
arrived at Mr. Zundel's and contained a deadly pipe bomb.
Thus, CSIS, Mr. Zundel's major antagonist in this case,
knew the bomb was coming and did nothing to protect Mr. Zundel, postal
employees or Air Canada personnel and passengers. The incident suggests a
murderous animosity on the part of CSIS toward Mr. Zundel and calls into
question the reasonableness of their evidence, much of it secret.
Farrell who was mouthy enough as the source of Mitrovica's
book took great pains to evade service of the subpoena this spring. His
principal lied for him and then assaulted Peter Lindsay who was trying to
serve the subpoena, allowing Farrell to run out of the school and escape.
His employer the Toronto District Catholic School Board has co-operated
with an August 12 order of Mr. Justice Blais. A September 9 letter from
Guy Bisson, legal counsel, employee relations to the Board advised Peter
Lindsay: "Mark Tanel, Principal of our Lady of Fatima Catholic
School, advises me that he hand-delivered to John Joseph Farrell a package
containing ... the subpoena and attendance cheque for Tuesday, September
14."
It's interesting that both author Mitrovica who blew the
whistle on much of CSIS's wrongdoing and his informant Mr. Farrell have
developed such an attack of shyness. Judge Blais quashed our subpoena for
Mitrovica in the summer.
Oh, yes, we may get to learn whether Judge Blais has made
up his mind yet about the continuing detention in solitary confinement of
Canada's most famous political prisoner. He reserved his decision on
August 30.
Yes, tomorrow should be a day of high tension and drama in
the Courthouse at 361 University Avenue in Toronto.
Paul Fromm
Director
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION
