When truth isn't a defence — Joseph Howe's courageous fight for a free press
(Watch the full video directly below. (If using the National Post iPhone app, the video is at the top of the post.)
In this NP Comment video, the Post's Terry Newman speaks with Trent University Canadian studies professor Christopher Dummitt about his new video series, 'Well, That Didn't Suck!'
Dummitt set out to create a series of videos on Canadian history that would make sense to people who have grown up on social media — including YouTube, Tiktok and Instagram, which is where you can find his short history lessons. Essentially, the short Canadian history series finds audiences where they are.
The first lesson, 'The Price of the Truth,' is about government corruption and the importance of the free press. It tells the story of Joseph Howe, who, in addition to being a politician and poet, was the sole editor and owner of the Novascotian.
Howe published an anonymous letter accusing local police and politicians of stealing public money, resulting in him being charged with seditious libel.
Unfortunately, the truth alone wasn't a defence at the time. Unable to find anyone willing to defend him, Howe defended himself. In a six-hour speech, he urged the jurors to 'leave an unshackled press as a legacy to your children.' Even though the judge advised jurors that it was their duty to return a guilty verdict, they ignored the judge and the law, finding Howe not guilty after a mere 10 minutes of deliberation.
Following his acquittal, Howe claimed in the Novascotian that, 'The press of Nova Scotia is free.'
Watch the full interview with Christopher Dummitt above and check out his new Canadian history series, 'Well, That Didn't Suck!' here.
Christopher Dummitt: The radical takeover of a Canadian studies conference in Britain
Christopher Dummitt: Canadians need a proud, not guilt-ridden Canada
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Man once convicted in Minnesota of supporting al-Qaida is now charged in Canada for alleged threats
MONTREAL (AP) — A man who was once convicted in the United States of supporting al-Qaida has been charged in Canada after allegedly threatening an attack. Mohammed Abdullah Warsame, 51, allegedly told a homeless shelter employee in Montreal that he wanted to build bombs to detonate on public transit. He was charged with uttering threats. He was ordered at a court appearance in Montreal on Friday to undergo a 30-day psychological assessment and return to court July 7, according to the newspaper La Presse. 'Both parties have reason to believe that Mr. Warsame's criminal responsibility is in question in this case,' Vincent Petit, who represents Warsame, told the court. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed that he is the same Mohammed Warsame who spent 5½ years in solitary confinement before pleading guilty in Minnesota in 2009 to one count of conspiracy to provide material support and resources to al-Qaida, which the U.S. calls a terrorist organization that was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Warsame was sentenced to seven years and eight months in federal prison with credit for time served. He was deported to Canada in 2010 and had no fixed address at the time of the latest alleged incident. The Old Mission Brewery, which runs several homeless shelters in Montreal, contacted police after Warsame allegedly said on May 27 that he wanted to carry out an attack that would kill a large number of people. Warsame was hospitalized for psychiatric reasons, and he was formally arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Wednesday. The Somali-born Canadian citizen admitted in his 2009 plea agreement that he traveled to Afghanistan in 2000 to attend al-Qaida training camps, where he dined with the organization's founder, Osama bin Laden. Prosecutors say he later sent money to one of his training camp commanders and went to the Taliban's front line. Warsame later settled in Minneapolis, where he continued to provide information to al-Qaida associates. Prosecutors painted him as a jihadist who called his time in one training camp 'one of the greatest experiences' of his life. They said that even after the Sept. 11 attacks, he passed along information to al-Qaida operatives about border entries and whereabouts of jihadists — and only stopped when he was arrested in December 2003. But his attorneys depicted him as a bumbling idealist whom other fighters in the camps in Afghanistan viewed as ineffective and awkward. Warsame's case in the U.S. raised serious constitutional issues, including the right to a speedy trial. His case took an unusually long time to work its way through the American federal court system partly because everyone involved — including the judge, defense attorneys and prosecutors — needed security clearances because classified materials were involved. Pretrial appeals also added to the delays.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Cultural diversity and sustainable practice to come together in the KESKUS International Estonian Centre
TORONTO, June 6, 2025 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is supporting the Estonian Arts Centre to construct a green roof through a combined investment of more than $1.6 million. Enriching the experience of visitors to the KESKUS International Estonian Centre, the green roof will cap the Estonian Arts Centre's vision to create an architecturally significant, cultural landmark. Reducing stormwater run-off, passively cooling the building and providing additional green space, the more than 8,000-square-foot rooftop garden and terrace will be a unique, beautiful and functional feature of the facility. The investment will support its construction, including installing irrigation, stormwater management systems, walkways, and lighting. KESKUS will be a hub for people of all generations to connect, celebrate, and share Estonian culture and achievements. As a symbol of its interconnected relationship to the residents of Toronto, the green roof will be planted with trees and plantings that are native to both southern Ontario and Estonia. Quotes "As MP for University—Rosedale, I am proud that Toronto is home to people from all over the world, whose cultures, experiences and ideas make our city one of the greatest places to live in the world. KESKUS will be a place to celebrate the past contributions and achievements of Estonians around the world, while contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive future for everyone. I am grateful to the Estonian-Canadian community for choosing to make Canada their home and for the cultural wealth they bring to our country. As a Ukrainian-Canadian I am also grateful to Estonian-Canadians for their resolute support for Ukraine as it fights Vladimir Putin's criminal invasion and stands up for democracy and the rules-based international order." The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade and Member of Parliament for University—Rosedale, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada "The scale and ambition of this green roof make it a standout feature of KESKUS, and thanks to the support of the Natural Infrastructure Fund, we're proud that we will deliver a space that will benefit the building, the community, and the environment for generations to come. This investment isn't just about construction—it's about legacy." Liisa Kaarid, Board Chair, Estonian Arts Centre Quick Facts The federal government is investing $1 million in the construction of the green roof through the Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF) and the Estonian Arts Centre is contributing $686,300. In 2023, the federal government also announced its contribution of $750,000 through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) for below-grade construction of KESKUS. Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has committed €1,371,808 (about CAD$2.15 million) to support the completion of the multifunctional large hall at KESKUS. The Natural Infrastructure Fund supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches to increase resilience to climate change, mitigate carbon emissions, protect and preserve biodiversity and wildlife habitats, and promote Canadians' access to nature. Examples of natural infrastructure include urban forests, street trees, wetlands, living dikes, bioswales, and naturalized coastal restoration. Hybrid infrastructure incorporates elements of engineered grey infrastructure to enhance or support natural infrastructure and/or the use of ecosystem processes. Examples of hybrid infrastructure include green roofs and walls, and naturalized stormwater ponds. A minimum of 10% of the overall Natural Infrastructure Fund envelope will be allocated to Indigenous-led projects. Associated Links Natural Infrastructure Fundhttps:// Strengthened Climate Planhttps:// Housing and Infrastructure Project Maphttps:// Over 400 Canada Community Revitalization Fund projects boost community infrastructure across southern Ontariohttps:// Estonia supports the largest expatriate project of the last half-century: KESKUS International Estonian Centrehttps:// Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedInWeb: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, XWeb: SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
U.S. Salvadoran family's tough journey to Canada: 'We didn't want to be deported'
Aracely Serrano Ayala said she felt her world was ending several times in the last three months. After living and working in the U.S. for more than a decade, the 35-year-old resident of Plainfield, New Jersey, and her partner, Marcos Guardado, began to live in fear because they were undocumented immigrants. The Salvadoran couple never started the process of seeking a green card. As the Trump administration increased its deportation efforts, in March they decided to embark on a journey to Canada with their two daughters and apply for asylum there, where Serrano's brother is a citizen. 'We wanted a better future, to legalize our status and continue working," said Serrano, "but the United States gave us no hope." Serrano said nothing prepared her and her family for being turned away twice at the Canadian border, detained by U.S. immigration authorities and separated from her husband for several weeks, after he was transferred to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center. Serrano and her family are now living legally in Canada, but their story illustrates the complexities of the immigration and the asylum process, both in the U.S. and Canada. 'We just wanted to get out of the country and never imagined we would go through all this,' she says, her voice breaking. Under the 2015 Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) between Canada and the United States, asylum-seekers must seek protection in the first safe country they arrive in. That is, if someone enters the U.S. first and meets the requirements, they must begin their asylum application there and cannot do so in Canada, and vice versa. However, there are exceptions in the agreement. If a person enters Canadian territory from the U.S. and can prove they have a close relative in the country who meets certain requirements (being of legal age, having Canadian citizenship or being a permanent resident, among other conditions), the person can enter the country and is allowed to begin their asylum application. 'I was hopeful because I know this agreement exists — and my brother had been there for 20 years,' Serrano said. But when the family got to the Canadian border, issues with documentation and even a misunderstanding over how last names are used in Latin America prevented them from being allowed into Canada and led to their detention in the U.S., illustrating the difficulties around migration and entry into another country. Serrano said that when she and he family crossed the Rainbow Bridge into Canada, "our dream of entering the country had collapsed," as Canadian border officials flagged several issues with their Salvadoran documents. One of the birth certificates had a mistake regarding Serrano's mother's name, Serrano's Canadian attorney, Heather Neufeld, said. Though there was a correction note in the margins, the border officials didn't pay attention to that and thought there was a discrepancy in their names, so they didn't accept it,' Neufeld said in an interview. The attorney added that another aspect complicating the process was that on one document, Serrano's father appeared with only one of his surnames, while on other documents, he had both. 'The [Canadian] officers didn't understand that in Latin America, people have two last names, but sometimes only one appears on the documents. So they thought they were fake. It was a series of errors made by border officials, when in fact, they were legitimate documents,' Neufeld said. Telemundo Noticias requested comment from the Canada Border Security Agency on the Serrano and Guardado case. Although authorities declined to comment on the Salvadoran family's case out of respect for their privacy, Luke Reimer, a spokesperson for the agency, said in a statement that port-of-entry officials are the ones who determine whether the evidence demonstrates that the asylum-seeker is subject to the Canada-United States Agreement. After the couple was declared inadmissible, Canadian authorities deported them back to the U.S., where they were detained at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility. 'They checked our documents there at U.S. immigration and then took us to a cell. It was a place with no windows or bathroom. When we wanted to go to the bathroom, we had to tell them to take us,' said Serrano. She said they were held there for two weeks. At the end of March, Serrano said, without warning, U.S. immigration agents sent them back to the Rainbow Bridge port of entry, but because they had the same papers, they were deported again to the U.S. Serrano, Guardado and Neufeld said that neither U.S. nor Canadian authorities have explained who made the decision to take them back to the Canadian port of entry. This is important because generally people only have one opportunity to resubmit their case to authorities. Noticias Telemundo contacted the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and CBP for comment on the case, but didn't receive a response. After the second deportation, Serrano and her daughters were separated from Guardado, who was transferred to an ICE detention center. Guardado said he'd never been imprisoned in his life; "it was the first time that happened to me, and I was there for a month and a few days,' he said, adding that he only had a few minutes to say goodbye to his daughters. However, things began to change. While Guardado was in detention, U.S. authorities placed Serrano in an electronic bracelet and released her along with her daughters. They spent a few days in a shelter in Buffalo, New York, and their case began to attract attention in the Canadian media. Neufeld then filed an official appeal with Canadian authorities. 'We submitted all the evidence with our arguments, but they sent us a one-sentence letter stating that they weren't going to change their initial decision, so the only option left was a petition in federal court,' Neufeld said. On May 5, the Canadian government agreed to allow Serrano and her two daughters to enter the country to begin the asylum application process. Meanwhile, Guardado remained detained in the U.S. and had to post a $12,000 bond to attend the interview with Canadian authorities to be able to reunite with his family. They turned to their family and close friends, all from the same Salvadoran town as Serrano and Guardado. "They all raised the bail to get me out; some put up $50, others $500," Guardado said. "Little by little, it all came together. I have a list of more than 500 people who helped me." Guardado recalled the day they told him he was entering Canada. 'I was able to be with them and hug my crying girls,' Guardado said. Serrano said the biggest difference she's experienced living in Canada is a sense of security and freedom that comforts her. 'We're no longer afraid. Imagine having that freedom with my girls, to go anywhere, without the fear that they'll find us and deport us without us committing any crime,' she said. But while the family begins a new life in Canada, bad news continue to cloud their horizon. Guardado's brother, Jaime — who's married to a naturalized U.S. citizen from El Salvador and was planning to go back to El Salvador as part of his green card process — was detained in New Jersey and continues to be in ICE custody. An earlier version of this story was first published in Noticias Telemundo. This article was originally published on
