UPDATE: Why don't we reference an internationally respected news agency rather than the rag we had here previously? Jim Keegstra, notorious Canadian Holocaust denier, dead at 80Keegstra, a teacher, was charged in 1984 with 'wilfully promoting hatred' for his anti-Semitic school lessonsCBC News
Posted: Jun 13, 2014 1:35 AM MT
Last Updated: Jun 13, 2014 6:35 AM MT James ‘Jim’ Keegstra, a prominent
Canadian holocaust denier and former high school teacher in Eckville,
Alta., is dead at the age of 80, CBC News learned late Thursday night. Keegstra made international headlines in 1983 when he was accused of
teaching students that the history of the Holocaust was fraudulent, and
that a Jewish conspiracy was responsible for many of the world’s
problems.
It was alleged that Keegstra had been teaching his anti-Semitic views
to his social studies class for 14 years before a parent complained to
the local school board about his lessons.
In January 1984, Keegstra was stripped of his teaching certificate
and charged with “wilfully promoting hatred against an identifiable
group” under the Criminal Code of Canada.
At the time, no one had been successfully convicted under Canada’s hate propaganda laws enacted in 1970. Keegstra was represented at trial by attorney Doug Christie, a political activist originally from B.C., who would go on to defend some of Canada’s most high-profile Holocaust deniers.
Keegstra was convicted at his original trial and fined $5,000. His
lawyers appealed the decision, arguing that the law was unconstitutional
and that it violated provisions on freedom of expression in the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Keegstra received a one-year suspended sentence, one year of probation, and community service.
He died on June 2, according to a report in the Red Deer Advocate. CBC News confirmed with his son that his father was in fact dead.
According to the same report, Keegstra spent the latter part of his life as a custodian at an apartment complex in the city.
Now we'll see what the usual suspects have to say about this.
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