Connie Fournier
(Ottawa, November 2, 2015) — The OCLA will present its 2015 Civil Liberties Award to Mrs. Connie Fournier at a public event in Kingston, Ontario, on November 13 (7 PM, The Side Room, Denny’s, 33 Benson Street, Kingston, Ontario).
In 2001, Mrs. Fournier co-founded Free Dominion, a pioneering internet discussion forum for principled conservatism. Mrs. Fournier and her husband Mark Fournier have valiantly defended the free expression of commentators to their venue and their right to provide the venue, against many defamation complaints and lawsuits that have been a significant burden on her family.
Mrs. Fournier was an organizer in the successful battle to repeal Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act — which was used to prosecute citizens for communication of “hate messages” telephonically or on the Internet, without needing to establish actual harm to any person.
Connie Fournier is the author of the 2015 book Betrayed: Stephen Harper’s war on principled conservatism, in which she argued that the Harper government needed to be defeated, by principled conservatives themselves:
When a leader that we have elected goes off the rails and begins to dismantle the very fabric of our democracy, we have a duty to send our own people into the political wilderness until they learn to handle the unfettered power of a majority government with the care and respect it deserves.
Past recipients of the OCLA award were Harry Kopyto (2013), and Terry Jean Bedford (2014).
OCLA’s Award page, updated regularly: https://ocla.ca/ocla-civil-liberties-award/
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/4014426498661639/
About the Ontario Civil Liberties Association
The OCLA vigorously advocates for authentic and unqualified freedom of expression of individuals, on all topics and in every form, in accordance with the right to free expression enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The OCLA also advocates for unimpeded civil liberties and civil rights of all persons, in dealings with public and private institutions and corporations.
Contact:
Joseph Hickey
Executive Director
Ontario Civil Liberties Association (OCLA) https://ocla.ca
613-252-6148 (c)
joseph.hickey@ocla.ca
