11.02.2011 09:20 AM

Conservative MP sends letter re: support to neo-Nazi leader (updated)

BCL strikes again. Check it out:

“Mr. Lemire” is Marc Lemire, a former leader of the violent neo-Nazi group, the Heritage Front. “Mr. Chisu” is a Conservative MP. He’s new.

I will be charitable, therefore, and assume for a moment that Mr. Chisu and the young Mr. van Vorstenbos didn’t know Marc Lemire has been a central figure in the most powerful anti-Semitic, white supremacist group to emerge in Canada since the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in the Eighties.  I will, however, say that they are supposed to check these things out in advance, and not be total idiots.  Which, in this case, they are.

If, on the other hand, Messrs. Chisu and van Vorstenbos knew who Mr. Lemire was, and sent their pithy letter anyway, I will only say this:

Thornhill, York Centre, Eglinton-Lawrence, Don Valley West, North York, et al., welcome home.  We missed you.

UPDATE: Greg Elmer, who I like, suggested the headline was off, and I think he’s right.  Thus the tweak, above. Grammar is everything!

23 Comments

  1. wilson says:

    Your headline should read:
    Conservative MP sends (response) letter re: support FROM neo-Nazi leader

    BTW, Lemire also gave support to Liberal MP Keith Martin in 2008 when he tabled a similar PMB.
    ”…That, in the opinion of the House, subsection 13(1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act should be deleted from the Act…”

    • Warren says:

      I think I wrote about that at the time, on this site and in the paper. And I kicked the crap out of Martin for doing so, too.

      But you knew that already, didn’t you, Sharon?

      You’re a representative of the CPC, Sharon. Are you defending Lemire?

      • bigcitylib says:

        Actually, the semantic adjustment is a good one. Although Lemire himself is calling it a “letter of support”, and its worth noting that there’s nobody in Canada that’s done more to push C-304 and other similar bills than Lemire and his WN backers, even if people like Ezra Levant have tried to take credit. Certainly the letter is in support Lemire’s CAUSE

      • wilson says:

        Warren (in bold, which I am too tech challenged to do), where in the response letter is anyone ‘giving support’ to a ‘neo-Nazi leader’ , as your headline states?

        Was Liberal MP Keith Martin defending Lemire with his PMB??

  2. Rick Omen says:

    I’m not seeing the problem here. A guy writes a letter, an MP responds. Are you saying that an MP should simply ignore Lemire’s letter? Perhaps the folks in Thornhill, York Centre, Eglinton-Lawrence, Don Valley West, North York, et al., should know that a Liberal government would ignore the concerns of any individual who’s politics they disagree with.

    And no, I’m not defending Lemire, because there’s nothing to defend him from, unless you think he shouldn’t be allowed to write letters to gov’t representatives.

    • bigcitylib says:

      Its hardly a matter of politics you don’t agree with. Do you think its appropriate for an MP to respond to a known gang leader (because that’s essentially what the Heritage Front was)? If the MP didn’t know who the guy was, then that’s just being naive. If he did, then…

      • KingstonGuy says:

        So, an MP represents everyone in his riding, unless he decides that person isn’t QUITE good enough to be supported?
        Does this mean prisoners don’t get represented if their crime is serious enough?

        I was under the impression that MPs represented the population of the riding, no matter who they were.

        • Warren says:

          I agree that you Conservatives should continue to appear chummy with neo-Nazi types.

          Among other things, it’ll have Liberals back in government in no time!

  3. Roy says:

    why not the liberals responded to gang leaders tumil tigers they even were there having barbecues with them. The libranos, you can respond to them all you want. I don’t see anything wrong with it.

  4. Ian Stephen says:

    An MP should respond appropriately when a citizen writes with a legitimate concern or question. Lemire has as much right to ask an MP about a bill before the House of Commons as any other citizen. If we believe in democracy we have to confer it’s privileges to those we disagree with, those we don’t like and even those who would oppose democracy. To do otherwise would be to only hold a facade of democracy dear.

    • Warren says:

      Sure. But, um, don’t you think it’s stupid, politically?

      • Ian Stephen says:

        An arm across the shoulder’s photo together with Lemire would be stupid. This letter is appropriate. Besides, for those of us who like to rail against the Conservatives there are so many things to choose from that are stupid and should be damaging. Oda’s “NOT” document, being found in contempt of parliament, Bruce Carson, blacklisting Franke James, cuts to ozone research just as an unprecedented northern ozone hole is found, blocking listing chrysotile on the Rotterdam Convention, tarsands promotion, DFO failures, seals, Clement’s $50 million, attacks on collective bargaining, attacking on-line privacy,… it goes on and on. On contempt of parliament, Harper said “Canadians don’t care about that.” I hope in the next election we can send him a big “Yes we do!” He’s shrewd though. It may be longer than that before we’re through with him and his CPC.

  5. KingstonGuy says:

    This looks like a pretty standard letter someone would get for voicing their opinion on a bill.

    If you want a similar one, go write a two line email supporting the bill and get your own “thank you, here is what I am doing” letter, it isn’t hard at all.

    Regardless. MPs should represent their whole riding, no matter how objectionable the members in it are. There is no excuse to ignore a constituent who legitimately wants to provide input or opinion in a democracy.

    • Warren says:

      Go to tell folks that in Thornhill. And use your real name, Mr. Democracy.

    • sharonapple88 says:

      Regardless. MPs should represent their whole riding, no matter how objectionable the members in it are. There is no excuse to ignore a constituent who legitimately wants to provide input or opinion in a democracy.

      According to Wiki, Marc Lemire lives in Hamilton according to his blog. MP in question: Pickering-Scarborough East. Did Lemire write to a number of MPs on the issue, and was Chisu’s office the only one to write back?

  6. allegra fortissima says:

    What will those two politicians learn from this? a) Google before replying:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Lemire

    and b) check for supporters “Re: Support Marc Lemire, his battle for Free Speech”:

    http://www.stormfront.org/forum/t359222-2/

    http://www.stormfront.org – White Pride World Wide – is an indexed website in Germany and France, and rightly so!

  7. TheSilentObserver says:

    Damn, I live in Pickering-Scarborough East. Not even one hour ago I was thinking how Chisu, despite being a Tory, hasn’t managed to do something to embarass the area yet. Well then…

    On the other hand, I fully support the premise that he and his assistant had no idea they were speaking to a neo-nazi until further notice. Now that the truth is out there, I want to see if he is willing to take a stand against political extremism and racism, or, if like some of the prior posters, he believes we should coddle neo-nazis and pretend their views don’t matter.

  8. sharonapple88 says:

    Query above directed to Wilson. If Martin wrote a letter to Lemire, the situation is equivalent. As it is, I googled and found nothing.

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