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Ezra Levant

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 198.84.162.153 (talk) at 23:13, 21 February 2013 (→Publishing: It should be made clear what kind of "libertarian" Levant is. He's certainly no socialist, which is Libertarianism's meaning outside the US. Many question his "Libertarianism-ness). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Ezra Levant
Ezra Levant in 2008
BornFebruary 20,[citation needed] 1972
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
EducationB.Comm; LLB
Alma materUniversity of Calgary, University of Alberta
WebsiteEzra Levant

Ezra Isaac Levant (born 1972) is a Canadian media personality, conservative political activist and author. He is the founder and former publisher of the Western Standard, is a broadcaster and columnist for Sun Media and has written several books on politics and public policy.

Early life and education

Born in Calgary, Levant holds a commerce degree from the University of Calgary and a law degree from the University of Alberta. His great-grandfather emigrated to Canada in 1903 from Russia to establish a homestead near Drumheller, Alberta.[1] Levant grew up in a suburb of Calgary. He attended a Jewish day school in his childhood before transferring to a public junior high school.

Levant campaigned for the Reform Party of Canada as a teenager and joined it as a university student.[1] In 1992, while at the University of Calgary, his two-person team won the "best debating" category in the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition held at Queen's University.[2] In 1994, he was featured in a Globe and Mail article on young conservatives after accusing the University of Alberta of racism for instituting an affirmative action program of hiring women and aboriginal professors. His actions outraged aboriginal law students, feminists, and a number of professors, and he was called to a meeting with the assistant dean who advised him of the university's non-academic code of conduct and defamation laws. As head of the university's speakers committee, Levant organized a debate between Doug Christie, a lawyer known for his advocacy in defence of Holocaust deniers and accused Nazi war criminals, and Thomas Kuttner, a Jewish lawyer from the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission.[1]

Levant gained a reputation as the university's leading conservative. He was invited to write a guest column for the Edmonton Journal and interviewed on television.[3] He spent the summer of 1994 in Washington, D.C., in an internship arranged by the libertarian Charles G. Koch Foundation Summer Fellow Program. He worked for the Fraser Institute in 1995, writing Youthquake, which argued for smaller government, including privatization of the Canada Pension Plan. Levant saw "youthquake", the term he used to describe what he identified as a conservative youth movement of the 1990s, as similar to the 1960s civil rights movement except that instead of being enslaved by racism, his generation was "enslaved by debt" and, in order to liberate itself, society needed to dismantle elements such as trade unions, the minimum wage, universal health care, subsidized tuition and public pension plans.[4]

Political activism

Views on Quebec

Levant favoured Quebec separatism and a yes vote during the 1995 Quebec referendum in a Calgary Sun column titled "10 Reasons to Hope for a Yes Victory"[5] Among his 10 reasons were Levant's views that the departure of Quebec from Canadian confederation would lead to the elimination of bilingualism and multiculturalism, that it would give the Canadian government the "fortitude" to say no to "other special interest groups" such as First Nations and environmentalists; it would end corruption in Parliament, which Levant blamed on Quebec politicians, and clear the way for Preston Manning to become Prime Minister of Canada.[6]

In 1996, Levant wrote a column saying that if the federal Liberals were re-elected, Alberta could separate from Canada making it "free from Quebec's demands."[6]

Uniting the right

In 1996, Levant worked with David Frum to organize the "Winds of Change" conference in Calgary, an early attempt to encourage the Reform Party of Canada and Progressive Conservative Party of Canada to merge so that a united rightwing party could defeat the Liberal Party of Canada in the subsequent election.[7] While unsuccessful, the conference anticipated future attempts at a Unite the Right movement which ultimately led to the formation of the Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. Levant supported Preston Manning's United Alternative initiative in 1999, a more advanced attempt to unite the country's conservative movement[8] and was one of the leaders of the movement to create the Canadian Alliance as an attempt to broaden the party's base.[9]

Political organizer and aide

While he was a student-at-law, Levant was an active political organizer in the Reform Party, and guided the successful attempts by Rahim Jaffer (as the campaign manager for his nomination in Edmonton-Strathcona and later as his communications-director during the 1997 Federal Election) and Rob Anders to win party nominations.[10] In 1997, he went to Ottawa to work for the Reform Party, becoming a parliamentary aide to party leader Preston Manning and being put in charge of Question Period strategy.[6] Along with newly-elected MP's Rob Anders, Jason Kenney and Rahim Jaffer, Levant was part of an up and coming group of young Reformers which pundits dubbed the "Snack Pack" due to their relative youth.

In 1999, after being dismissed as Preston Manning's legislative-assistant, Levant left Ottawa to join the editorial board of the fledgling National Post newspaper in Toronto.[9][11] A close friend of Stockwell Day's son Logan, Levant proclaimed himself a "Stockaholic"[12] and supported the elder Day in his successful attempt to defeat Reform Party leader Preston Manning for the leadership of the new Canadian Alliance.[citation needed]

In February 2001, he returned to Ottawa as communications director to Day.[13] In May of that year he resigned after leaking to the National Post a letter that he sent to dissident MP Chuck Strahl in which he threatened to sue over Strahl's criticisms of his office.[14][15][16]

Candidacy and resignation

Later in 2001, Levant returned to Calgary to practise law. By February 2002 he had won the Canadian Alliance party nomination for the riding of Calgary Southwest,[17] but stepped aside after public pressure so that new party leader Stephen Harper could run there in a 2002 by-election. When the by-election was called, Levant, who said he spent over $150,000 to gain the nomination,[18] announced on March 28 that he would not step aside.[12][19] Later that night, however, he relented after widespread pressure from the party and accusations that he was putting himself ahead of the party.[20]

2012 American presidential election

In a column on the eve of the 2012 Presidential election, Levant wrote: "America is resilient. But four more years of Obama will change that country deeply — and not for the better." He urged readers to oppose President Obama's reelection.[21] In the article, Levant stated about Obama's trips to Israel that, "alone amongst modern presidents he has not visited Israel during his presidency." Writer Chris Selley accused Levant of "making up one of his patented 'facts'" and noted afterwards, referring to a Washington Post article, that, in fact, the majority of the American presidents since the foundation of Israel have not visited during their presidency, with only Clinton and Carter visiting during their first terms.[22] Levant predicted a Romney victory, with at least 295 electoral votes to 243 for Obama. He said that "every poll that shows Obama ahead in battleground states is equally skewed" and were biased in favour of Obama.[23]

Publishing

In 2004 Levant co-founded the Western Standard, an Alberta-based magazine with an emphasis on Western Canada, political conservatism, and Right-libertarianism.[24] In October 2007 the magazine stopped publishing its print edition after failing to become profitable,[25] becoming an online magazine. Levant later sold the publication's remaining assets to Matthew Johnson, the former legislative aide to Rahim Jaffer.[26]

Levant wrote an irregular column for the Calgary Sun for ten years, until he was dropped in October 2007 because of "internal decisions."[27] He continued to write occasional columns for the National Post on a freelance basis.[28]

In 2010, Levant joined Sun Media a columnist and now has an on-air position on the Sun TV News Channel as host of The Source.[29]

Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

See also: Human rights complaints against Maclean's magazine

In February 2006, the Western Standard published the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons depicting Muhammad.[30] Syed Soharwardy of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada and the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities complained about the publication to the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission and a hearing was scheduled for January 2008. On the day of the hearing Levant republished the cartoons on his website.[28]

At the request of Levant and his lawyers Levant was allowed to videotape his interview with Shirlene McGovern, a human rights investigator with the Alberta Human Rights Commission. Levant later published that video on YouTube where it spent several days among the top-ten viewed videos. Soharwardy's complaint was ultimately withdrawn,[31] and a complaint he filed with Calgary police came to naught. An identical complaint by the Edmonton Muslim Council was dismissed by the Commission on August 5, 2008.

The timing of the Levant case was notable in that it coincided with a high-profile case considered by the Canadian Human Rights Commission (which Levant has criticized), the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal and the Ontario Human Rights Commission regarding complaints by the Canadian Islamic Congress about a column by Mark Steyn in Maclean's Magazine. None of the complaints obtained a ruling against Steyn or Maclean's.

Stance against the Alberta Human Rights Commission

Levant is a fierce critic of the Alberta Human Rights Commission, particularly concerning Rev. Stephen Boissoin, who in the Lund v. Boissoin matter was fined $7,000 and banned from publicly "disparaging ... gays and lesbians" in May 2008. This case concerned a letter published by the Red Deer Advocate in 2002 in which Boissoin attacked the "homosexual agenda" as "wicked". In June 2008, Levant republished Boissoin's letter on his blog.[32] When the AHRC dismissed the resulting complaint in November 2008, Levant accused the HRCs of religious discrimination, asserting that "100% of the CHRC's targets have been white, Christian or conservative" and that "It's legal for a Jew like me to publish [Boissoin’s letter]. It's illegal for a Christian like Rev. Boissoin to publish it."[33] The HRC's ruling was overturned by the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta in 2009, on the grounds that Levant had the right to free speech.[34]

Support and criticism

Levant's case has attracted the attention of organizations such as PEN Canada,[35] the Canadian Association of Journalists,[36] and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association[37] — all of which have called for reform of the commissions. He has been featured on Glenn Beck's show on CNN.[38] Levant supported the Canadian government's decision to refuse George Galloway entry into Canada in March 2009. Although Levant described it as "an immigration matter", free speech advocates protested this move, citing it as a hypocritical double standard.[39]

Ezra has been a frequent critic of Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, who is Muslim, calling him an "anti-Christian bigot".[40][41]

Libel cases

In 1988, Levant wrote a Reform Party fundraising letter in which he criticized Alberta Progressive Conservative Senator Ron Ghitter. Ghitter sued for defamation and in 2000, Canadian Alliance MP Rob Anders and Levant admitted liability and issued a formal apology and undisclosed damages to settle the suit.[42][43]

According to Levant, after the HRC cases against him were dismissed, "the most aggressive members of the human rights industry proceeded to punish [him] by filing over 20 law society complaints and five defamation suits against [him]. ... the point of all these lawsuits [is] just to bury [him] in an avalanche of paperwork and bills, to get [him] to shut up. So far, it ain't working."[44]

The Law Society of Alberta had found that Levant violated the following rules of professional conduct: to "respect and uphold the law in personal conduct", to "seek to improve the justice system", to not "act in a manner that might weaken public respect for the law", to be "courteous and candid", and to not "harass any person or discriminate against any person" on various prohibited grounds and ordered Levant to attend a "mandatory conduct advisory" after which the matter was dropped.[45]


Lawyer Richard Warman is also suing Levant as well as Kathy Shaidle, Kate McMillan of Small Dead Animals and several other conservative bloggers for libel over statements made about Warman on Free Dominion.[46] Levant says this "lawsuit isn't logical, or serious. It's a nuisance suit."[47]

Levant is also being sued by Warren Kinsella for libel, asking for $5,000,000. Levant has called Kinsella's suit "laughable".[48]

George Soros

In September 2010, Levant wrote a column for Sun Media accusing George Soros of funding avaaz.org, a group lobbying to stop Sun Media being granted a license for Sun TV News Channel, and strongly attacking Soros's character and history by alleging that as a child he collaborated with the Nazis.[49] Soros threatened to sue Sun Media for libel[49] and on September 18, Sun Media issued a retraction and apology to Soros.[50]

Giacomo Vigna

On 18 November 2010 and 26 January 2011, the Ontario Superior Court ruled that Levant was to pay Giacomo Vigna, a Canadian Human Rights Commission lawyer, $25,000 and $32,500, respectively. "Levant accused Vigna of lying to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, tampering with evidence, and suggested he'd been fired, the National Post reports. Justice Robert Smith ruled that Levant 'spoke in reckless disregard of the truth and for an ulterior purpose of denormalizing the Human Rights Commission across Canada which makes his statements malicious in that sense.'"[51] At the 2010 hearing, Levant was ordered to pay $25,000 to Vigna and to remove the libellous materials from his blog.[52] At the subsequent hearing, Vigna argued for more compensation to cover his lawyers' fees which were $26,000, and Levant was ordered to pay an additional $32,500. In total, Levant has been ordered to pay Vigna a total of $57,000 for libel. Levant has stated that he plans to seek an appeal.[51]

Recent activities

In July 2008, Levant was invited to be a witness before the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Caucus "about the threat posed by radical Islam using Western legal mechanisms as weapons".[53]

From 2009 until 2010, Levant worked as a lobbyist for Rothman's Incorporated, a manufacturer and distributor of tobacco products.[54]

In March 2010, Levant accompanied U.S. conservative personality Ann Coulter on a Canadian speaking tour. Her speech at the University of Ottawa was canceled at the last minute, apparently by its organizers, because of what Levant called "physical danger to Coulter and the audience" from protesters. The Ottawa Police later disputed any claims of unrest or violence.[55][56][57]

Ethical Oil

Main article: Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada's Oil Sands

In September 2010, Levant published a book, Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada's Oil Sands, arguing a moral case for developing the Athabasca oil sands rather than importing oil from nations with bad records concerning human rights and the environment.[58] The book was the winner of the 2011 National Business Book Award, awarded on May 12, 2011 in Toronto.

Sun Media

Levant hosts The Source, an evening talk show host on the Sun News Network and writes a regular column for the Sun Media chain of newspapers.[59]

CBC opponent

Sun Media, owned by Quebecor, has also systematically opposed funding for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, led by Levant and Brian Lilley.[60]

Hate crime investigation

On September 5 2012, Levant broadcast a commentary "The Jew vs. the Gypsies" on The Source in which he accused the Romani people as a group of being criminals and said: "These are gypsies, a culture synonymous with swindlers. The phrase gypsy and cheater have been so interchangeable historically that the word has entered the English language as a verb: he gypped me. Well the gypsies have gypped us. Too many have come here as false refugees. And they come here to gyp us again and rob us blind as they have done in Europe for centuries … They’re gypsies. And one of the central characteristics of that culture is that their chief economy is theft and begging."[61]

Following complaints, the Sun News Network removed the video from their webpage and issued an apology: "Two weeks ago on the Sun News program “The Source” we looked at the issue of Canadian refugee claims by the Roma people. Following the broadcast we received a number of complaints from viewers who felt the broadcast reinforced negative stereotypes about the Roma people. We have completed a review of the material and we agree that this content was inappropriate and should not have gone to air. It was not the intent of Sun News, or anyone employed by Sun News, to promote negative stereotypes about the Roma people. We regret our error in these broadcasts, and we apologize unreservedly to the Roma people and to you, our viewers."[61]

Bernie Farber, former CEO of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Holocaust survivor Nate Leipciger and Avrum Rosensweig of Ve’ahavta: The Canadian Jewish Humanitarian and Relief Committee published an op-ed in the National Post which condemned Levant's commentary as a "contemptible screed" and argued that "[t]he time has come for all of us to reject hate and bigotry — against any group".[62]

Gina Csanyi-Robah, executive director of the Roma Community Centre in Toronto, described the broadcast as “nearly nine minutes of on-air racist hate-speech targeting our community", “one of the longest and most sustained on-air broadcasts of hate-speech against any community in Canada that we’ve witnessed since our organization was established in 1997” and as “overtly racist, prejudicial, and demeaning.”[63] The centre filed complaints against Sun News with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and against Levant with the Alberta Law Society[62] as well as with the Toronto Police Service.[63]

Books

  • Youthquake. Fraser Institute. 1996. ISBN 0-88975-167-6.
  • Fight Kyoto: The plan to protect our economy. Essence Publishing. 2002. ISBN 1-55306-546-8.
  • The War On Fun. Western Standard. 2005. ISBN 0-9739541-0-8.
  • Shakedown: How our government is undermining democracy in the name of human rights. McLelland & Stewart. 2009. ISBN 0-7710-4618-9.
  • Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada's Oil Sands. McLelland & Stewart. 2010. ISBN 0-7710-4641-3.
  • The Enemy Within: Terror, Lies, and the Whitewashing of Omar Khadr. McLelland & Stewart. 2011. ISBN 0-7710-4621-9.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Steed, Judy (November 14, 1998). "Reform's unlikely young Turk Snack Packer Levant has made question period a party feast". Toronto Star.
  2. ^ Haggert, Scott (January 14, 1992). "Top students spar in annual business match". Financial Post.
  3. ^ Cerentig, Miro. "Neo-cons young bucks of the new right: In the sixties, the rallying cry for young activists was free love. Now it's free markets", Globe and Mail, February 5, 1994.
  4. ^ Klein, Naomi. "It's the 'Youth for Fraser Institute' movement", Toronto Star, November 25, 1995.
  5. ^ Andre, Harvie, "Party organizer's views don't exemplify tolerance", Financial Post, June 11, 1997
  6. ^ a b c Walker, William, "Manning's 'backroom boy' raises eyebrows Albertan once wanted Quebec to leave Canada", Toronto Star, September 21, 1997
  7. ^ Canadian Press, "Reform, Tories should merge, right-wing group says", Globe and Mail, May 15, 1996
  8. ^ Laghi, Brian and Mahoney, Jill, "Spectre of party's demise raises storm of dissent", Globe and Mail, May 3, 1999
  9. ^ a b "National Post editorial writer returns to Canadian Alliance fold", Canadian Press, February 14, 2001
  10. ^ Alberts, Sheldon, "New rebels on the right fight for Reform", Hamilton Spectator, February 8, 1997
  11. ^ National Notebook, Globe and Mail, March 27, 1999
  12. ^ a b Fife, Robert; Paraskevas, Joe (March 23, 2002). "PM to test Harper with by-election". National Post.
  13. ^ "Day-Staff Change", Canadian Press, February 14, 2001
  14. ^ "Canada's rightist opposition takes another hit", '"Reuters, May 17, 2001
  15. ^ Alberts, Sheldon, "Day aides threaten to sue Strahl: Breakaway MP says he won't apologize for 'dishonest' remark", National Post, May 17, 2001
  16. ^ Winsor, Hugh, "The meaning of Levant's departure", Globe and Mail, May 18, 2001
  17. ^ "CA nominates candidate". Calgary Herald. January 27, 2002.
  18. ^ Alberts, Sheldon (February 27, 2002). "Internal battle could ensue for Manning's old riding: Harper may want to run in by-election, displace nominee". National Post.
  19. ^ Laghi, Brian; Walton, Dawn (March 28, 2002). "Defiant Levant refuses to step aside for Harper". Globe and Mail.
  20. ^ Elliott, Louise (March 29, 2002). "Calgary candidate steps aside to allow Alliance leader to contest byelection". Canadian Press.
  21. ^ Levant, Ezra (5 November 2012). "Obama's weak vision". The Toronto Sun. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  22. ^ Selley, Chris (6 November 2012). "Full Pundit: The most corrupt province in Canada". The National Post. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  23. ^ Ezra Levant (1 November 2012). "King Obama Loses his Crown". The Source. Event occurs at 13:44. Sun News Network. Retrieved 8 November 2012. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |episodelink= (help)
  24. ^ Levant, Ezra (January 4, 2004). "Western Standard will be antidote to Maclean's, the CBC". National Post.
  25. ^ Levant, Ezra (October 5, 2007). "150 million pages of fighting the good fight". Western Standard website. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  26. ^ "Website sorry for anti-Islamic remarks". Calgary Herald. December 22, 2007.
  27. ^ Klaszus, Jeremy (November 1, 2007). "Ezra Levant column dumped by Calgary Sun". Fast Forward Weekly.
  28. ^ a b Bonnell, Keith (January 12, 2008). "Defiant Levant republishes cartoons". National Post. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  29. ^ [1]
  30. ^ Woodard, Joe, "Prophet cartoons come to Calgary: Publishers defend move as free speech", Calgary Herald, February 11, 2006
  31. ^ Soharwardy, Syed (February 15, 2008). "Why I'm withdrawing my human rights complaint against Ezra Levant". Globe and Mail. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  32. ^ Levant, Ezra. "I shall now commit a hate crime", blog post, June 12, 2008
  33. ^ Levant, Ezra. "The Jewish Exemption: Section 13 CHRC complaint against me dismissed", blog post, November 20, 2008
  34. ^ http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/news-views/news/letter-offensive-but-not-hateful-judge-4931/
  35. ^ Ezra Levant
  36. ^ CNW Group | CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF JOURNALISTS | CAJ urges changes to human rights laws
  37. ^ FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND HUMAN RIGHTS
  38. ^ Ezra Levant on Glenn Beck on YouTube
  39. ^ Levant, Ezra (March 20, 2009). "George Galloway".
  40. ^ http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/djclimenhaga/2012/01/sun-medias-inappropriate-obsession-calgary-mayors-religion-needs
  41. ^ http://calgary.openfile.ca/blog/curator-blog/curated-news/2012/columnist-calls-nenshi-anti-christian-bigot
  42. ^ "Apology to Senator Ghitter". Calgary Herald. April 14, 2000.
  43. ^ McCarthy, Shawn (April 11, 2000). "Tory ex-senator wins apology in libel suit". Globe and Mail.
  44. ^ Levant, Ezra (August 19, 2010). "Superior Court of Justice: Richard Warman must hand over his computer for inspection".
  45. ^ "Libel filings show battle between hate-hunter and conservative blogger", National Post, February 7, 2010
  46. ^ "Sask. blogger caught in legal bind". Regina Leader Post. April 21, 2008.
  47. ^ Levant, Ezra (July 29, 2008). "My Statement of Defence: Richard Warman is disreputable".
  48. ^ "How to lose a defamation lawsuit". Ezra Levant. February 26, 2009.
  49. ^ a b "Billionaire Soros threatening to sue Sun Media", Globe and Mail, September 17, 2010
  50. ^ "Retraction and apology to George Soros", Toronto Sun, September 17, 2010
  51. ^ a b [2], J-Source, 28 January 2011. Site accessed 1 February 2013.
  52. ^ "Judge orders Ezra Levant to pay $25,000", National Post, November 19, 2010
  53. ^ Levant, E (2009). Shakedown: How our government is undermining democracy in the name of human rights. McLelland & Stewart. pp. 122. ISBN 978-0-7710-4618-6.
  54. ^ "Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada".
  55. ^ Levant, Ezra (March 25, 2010). "The real threat to civil discourse". Ottawa Citizen. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  56. ^ O'Malley, Kady (March 24, 2010). "Ann Coulter's Adventures in Ottawa: So, what happened last night?". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation InsidePolitics blog.
  57. ^ "Protest Cancels Coulter Speech in Ottawa". Associated Press. March 24, 2010.
  58. ^ Levant, Ezra (September 14, 2010). "Ethical Oil debuts at #4 on Amazon.ca non-fiction best-seller list!". EzraLevant.com.
  59. ^ "SUN TV NEWS Announces New Additions", October 22, 2010
  60. ^ [3]
  61. ^ a b "Hate crime investigation launched surrounding Ezra Levant's Roma broadcast". J-source (The Canadian Journalism Foundation ). October 24, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  62. ^ a b "Bernie M. Farber, et al.: Hating the Jew, hating the 'gypsy'". National Post. September 25, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  63. ^ a b Green, Jeff (October 25, 2012). "Roma group's complaint against Ezra Levant prompts Toronto police investigation". Toronto Star. Retrieved October 24, 2012.

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