"Canada's Customs censors have run amok," says Paul Fromm Director of the Canadian Association for Free Expression, referring to a May 1 seizure by Canada Customs of 98 different books, booklets and tapes. The material valued at about $1,450 retail were held up as potential "hate propaganda."The seizure by an Inspector Rece at the Chopaka border crossing, west of Osoyoos, B.C., involved all books and tapes in Mr. Fromm's car. Fromm had earlier in the week run a meeting in the Okanagan, where these titles were for sale. He had later crossed into the U.S. to do some shopping and sightseeing. The Custo officials agreed that he was not "importing" these books and tapes and that they were his personal/business property.
The seizure included:
The time it takes to examine titles can extend to six months or more. "The arbitrary seizure of these books is an outrageous affront to free speech and a severe business hardship," adds Fromm. The motivation was clearly political. "I was grilled aggressively as to whether or how I knew Bernard Klatt, a local controversial Internet Service Provider."Fromm believes the Customs inspector was motivated by an anti-German bias. "I was asked: 'Are you related to Ernst Zundel?' I have an obviously German name. Would I have been asked, were I Chinese, whether I was related to Chairman Mao? I got the clear impression that the thinking was: German equals Nazi. Therefore, seize his books."
Inspector Rece admitted he was no expert in political or cultural literature. He indicated that the authorization for the seizure had come from Stu Piggot, his superior at the Customs and Border Service, Okanagan and Kootenay Region, in Penticton, whom he had phoned and consulted.
"Sadly, Canada is becoming Cuba del Norte," comments Fromm. "It's interesting that both Prime Minister Chretian and House Speaker Gilbert Parent seem inordinately fond of this communist dictatorship, which offers its sorry people little freedom to read or to express themselves. We seem to be moving in that direction here. My mom and dad both volunteered and served in the Canadian armed forces during WW II to prevent this very sort of thing -- this book burning. The behavior of Canada Customs is ignorant and a disgrace to thinking men and women in a supposedly free country."
"Would-be dictators always go after books -- ideas and art," says Fromm. "What most amazed me was the bone-headed way the Customs' officers insisted on seizing the Irish Fairy Tale Book. The one-eighth of me that is Liverpool Irish remembers the old rebel song 'They're Hanging Men and Women for the Wearing of the Green.' In politically correct Canada, they're seizing books of Irish fairy tales!"
Founded in 1981, the Canadian Association for Free Expression believes speech and discussion are essential to any functioning democracy. Freedom of speech and freedom to express one's beliefs are essential to human dignity. The Association, through publishing, lectures, conferences and lobbying tries to protect these basic human rights and to promote to the maximum, Charter guarateed rights of freedom of speech, freedom of belief, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.