SENT VIA FACSIMILE

06/10/1996

Dear Councilor Christie,

I am writing to you regarding an application for an $18,000 grant from the Metropolitan Toronto Council by a group known as "Anti-Racist Action", or "ARA". The grant will be used to fund a two-day "Anti-Facist Co-ordinating Conference", to be held from June 22nd to June 23rd at an undisclosed location.

In these hard economic times, taxpayers' dollars should not be used to fund special interest groups. If a group has the publics' interest and support, then they should be able to fund themselves, without having to dip into the public purse.

Anti-Racist Action is not an established organization. It is a name for a group of social misfits and violent anarchists. Their application is strange, because the three individuals listed as being responsible for the conference do not give a legitimate street address or a telephone number. Instead, they give a post office box address and a voice mail box telephone number. Furthermore, their conference is being held at an undisclosed location. All of this secrecy on their part has made me suspicious of their application.

My objection to the ARA receiving funding from the taxpayers is compounded by the fact that it has repeatedly used violence and terrorism to further its cause.

In June, 1993, Anti-Racist Action members stormed the East Toronto home of a Heritage Front supporter. They threw various projectiles at the house, including human excrement. Their attack caused substantial damage to the property, including smashed windows.

On December 9th, 1995, about two dozen ARA members interrupted a private dinner meeting that was being sponsored by Citizens for Foreign Aid Reform, at the Europe Restaurant in downtown Toronto. Ignoring repeated requests to leave, they spat on the owner and on several people attending the function. They also threw cream at items on a book table and assaulted an elderly lady.

On their world wide web site, they boast of having shut down the meeting. I include the entire text from their website. It has been reformatted for this letter, but the text has not been changed:

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It's fun to crash a party. On December 9th Paul Fromm's Canadians for Foreign Aid Reform (C-FAR) tried to hold a meeting. ARA had other ideas.

Paul "Squeaky" Fromm - Neo-Nazi and former high school teacher - formed C-FAR (also known as Crackers For the Aryan Race) as a lobby group for the racist right.

On the 9th C-FAR was hoping to meet in a not-so-trendy Blue Cellar Room restaurant on Bloor St., but ARA decided to be a fly in their ointment. Sitting in the back room sipping tea, about 40 ARA folks waited for the meeting to start. When the dozen or so withered old Nazi freaks began to show we made our move and forced our way into the banquet hall. "Call the police!! Call the police," shouted a Nazi hag.

"Fucking commie Jews, you're just like Stalin," cried Steve Dumas (pronounced dumb ass). This Nazi jock, and keynote speaker, founded the pro- apartheid Northern Foundation. For his efforts he got a nice gob right between the eyes from one of the grrrls.

When the kkkops finally showed it took them over half an hour to finally get us out. Once outside we set up a loud protest and picket letting neighbours know the score, and lots of people wanted to know what else they could do to get rid of nazis.

The meeting was over before it had a chance to begin. The owner quietly let Fromm out the back door. It was a great photo opportunity as they scuttled to their cars and went wee wee wee all the way to Zundel's home.

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I want to make it clear to you that I do not object to the ARA having their conference. Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees them the right to freedom of speech, and the right of peaceful assembly. I do, however, strongly object to the ARA's conference being funded with taxpayers' dollars, considering their violent history. If Anti- Racist Action wishes to have their conference, then they should raise the funds themselves, and not rely on the taxpayer.

Based upon the evidence that I have presented to you, I respectfully demand that the Metropolitan Toronto Council reject Anti-Racist Actions' request for an $18,000 grant for their conference.

Yours truly,

Christopher Saunders