Interview With Former Soldiers of Odin National Vice-President Dave Tregget

Last month we published two articles that dealt in part with the direction of the Canadian chapter of the Soldiers of Odin (see here and here). In the CBC article that we quoted in those articles, one of the foci was on the seeming split in the Quebec branch of the group which had been formerly led by Dave Tregget:

But as Tregget was busy building the group's membership he was also running afoul of the national leadership as well as the movement's international leaders in Finland. 

According to his one-time second-in-command, Tregget gave a series of interviews in the fall in which he downplayed the links between the Finnish and Quebec branches of the group. 

He also insisted on patrolling the "political correct" areas of Quebec City, like St-Roch, where the group was less likely to confront the city's immigrant population, said Katy Latulippe, who is now the acting president of Soldiers of Odin-Quebec. 

There are conflicting accounts of what, precisely, happened. Latulippe said Tregget was suspended. Tregget said he quit: "Finished with the racist image of Finland," he later told CBC News in a Facebook message. 

Regardless of the details, what is clear is that with Tregget out, and Latulippe in, the group's Quebec chapter will undergo a reorientation....."Dave avoided that, on patrols, we go into areas where there are a lot of Muslims or Islamization," she said during a recent phone conversation.

Tregget had also been the SOO national chapter's vice-president prior to his depatrure. That fact however did not insulate him, nor some of the other former SOO members who left the group, from being labeled as traitors. Among the others who left the SOO are William Crotty who had been the president of the Alberta chapter (and who is the "William" mentioned in the Vice exposé published last April) and Colin Oleary who was a leader in New Brunswick. Depending upon whom one wishes to believe, Tregget either resigned from the SOO or was suspended.

After reading the CBC article and on a bit of a whim, I decided to contact Tregget to see if Anti-Racist Canada could get his side of the story regarding the reasons for his departure from the SOO, though if I'm honest I didn't expect him to respond to my query. Much to my surprise, he did respond and further agreed to an on the record interview to offer his side of the story concerning his exit from the SOO.

What follows is a brief interview with the former Quebec chapter president and national vice-president of the Soldiers of Odin in Canada. I will add that French is Tregget's first language so please forgive any communication issues that may result:

"Your Ward News" Loses Advertisers

Among the stories we published on December 15 was a snippet on attorney David Faed who continued to advertise his services in neo-Nazi rag "Your Ward News" despite knowing full well the nature of the publication he was helping to sponsor:

Mr. Faed's continued involvement with YWN resulted in his coming to the attention of Richard Warman and in our experience coming to the attention of Richard Warman is often fraught with difficulties:

Warman says he did not believe it when he was first told a lawyer was advertising in Your Ward News. 

“My main impression was that hopefully the member wasn’t aware of the type of publication he was advertising in,” he says. 

“But when I spoke with Mr. Faed directly, it became clear that wasn’t in fact the case.” 

Warman says Faed continued to advertise in the publication after Warman contacted him to voice his concerns in 2015. 

Warman then filed his complaint after he says it became apparent Faed had no intention of pulling his ads from the publication.

It is perhaps additionally concerning considering Mr. Faed is advertising his services which explicitly focus, among other things, defending clients accused of domestic and sexual assaults in a rag promoting jury nullification:

Warman says that in addition to the discriminatory content of the newsletter, it also advocates some troubling views concerning the justice system. 

In the fall 2016 edition of the publication, one piece advocates “Jury Nullification,” which it describes as “when a Jury ignores the ‘law’ and the ‘FACTS’ AS PRESENTED TO THEM,” and instead rules “based on what they feel is MORALLY RIGHT.” 

The piece goes on to list a number of principles juries should follow that include a demand that men who are accused of “non-violent sexual assault and rape” must be acquitted. 

“To be involved with a publication that openly advocates obstruction of justice takes it to a whole new level. I would hope that Mr. Faed would then reconsider his position,” says Warman.

Mr. Faed also appears to have understood the gravity of being featured in the "Law Times" in such a negative light and didn't really take it all that well:

In a statement to Law Times, Faed said, “This is libellous [sic] trash falsely attributed to me. I warn you to reconsider this.”
....
“This will permanently damage my reputation as a 45-year defender of criminal cases and will lead to prejudice in court against the falsely accused,” Faed said in his statement to Law Times.

We aren't sure if he's as concerned about his prospective clients receiving a fair trial or his own ability to earn an income. A little more from column "B" we think.

But it appears that Mr. Faed's involvement with YWN may very well be a thing of the past as a friend discovered upon the online publication of the latest edition and confirmed by this writer:

So, What Has Shawn Macdonald Been Up To?

Macdonald is on the left.

We were recently given a heads up concerning some of Shawn Macdonald's recent activities.

At the end of March, we reported that Montreal antifa had managed to shut down a concert featuring a number of racist bands. The "boneheads" at Vinland Awakes, a racist blog trying to be as awesome as ARC but badly failing, were not pleased:

Now, when we write "boneheads" we should perhaps write in the singular since we learned that Shawn Macdonald is the owner of Vinland Awakes. And taking a page from McKee's B&H in Calgary, Macdonald has spent some time promoting the blog via stickers that have been found in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside:

More Activity from B&H in Calgary

A heads up from a friend in Calgary:

More stickers found this weekend. This time around Bowness High School in Calgary's Northwest.

More as information becomes available.

Soldiers of Odin: Strike Three

In a recent article published here in which we briefly discussed the resignation of former national vice-president and Quebec president of the Soldiers of Odin, it was clear that there was (and likely has been for some time) a bit of an ideological struggle within the movement in Canada. One faction of the SOO wants to disassociate itself from the overt racism of the gang which was started by a well-known Finnish neo-Nazi while the other faction wishes to strengthen the connection to the Finnish movement and the core raison d'etre of the Soldiers of Odin which is anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim in nature:

But as Tregget was busy building the group's membership he was also running afoul of the national leadership as well as the movement's international leaders in Finland. 

According to his one-time second-in-command, Tregget gave a series of interviews in the fall in which he downplayed the links between the Finnish and Quebec branches of the group. 

He also insisted on patrolling the "political correct" areas of Quebec City, like St-Roch, where the group was less likely to confront the city's immigrant population, said Katy Latulippe, who is now the acting president of Soldiers of Odin-Quebec. 

There are conflicting accounts of what, precisely, happened. Latulippe said Tregget was suspended. Tregget said he quit: "Finished with the racist image of Finland," he later told CBC News in a Facebook message. 

Regardless of the details, what is clear is that with Tregget out, and Latulippe in, the group's Quebec chapter will undergo a reorientation....."Dave avoided that, on patrols, we go into areas where there are a lot of Muslims or Islamization," she said during a recent phone conversation.

We should stress that we believe that much of this soul searching is primarily one of optics and how the SOO desire to perceived by the public rather than a disagreement about the fundamental nature of the gang's motives:

SOO, which has chapters across Canada, denies, on its public Facebook page, any accusations of being racist or anti-immigrant and claims to exist to primarily protect women and children by keeping the streets safe.  

However, it’s been alleged the group’s private Facebook page is filled with racist and xenophobic comments, mainly directed towards Muslims.

However there might also be an element of self-delusion as exhibited by Regina, Saskatchewan president Ryen Ward who was interviewed by Paul Dechene for "Planet S":

“I am not accusing you of being a racist,” I explain at one point. “I am saying that this is the cultural context in which the Regina chapter of the Soldiers of Odin swims, and I’m curious as to why you would want to carry all this cultural, racist baggage if you’re really serious about being seen as welcoming and helpful?” 

But as far as Ward is concerned, his group’s negative image has nothing to do with its founder, its connections nor its imagery. It’s all the fault of the lying media. 

“The danger lies in the lies printed about us and the fear you evoke into your readers,” he writes. “For the last time, we are not racist.”

Ward contradicts himself later on though he clearly doesn't see it that way:

When our conversation moves to politics — specifically, Trump — Ward raises his concerns about immigration. 

“Our problems occur with a lack of proper vetting system in which people coming into the country should receive a face to face interview. Very similar to Kellie Leitch’s idea,” he writes. 

And when I press him on this, and on Black Lives Matter, this happens: 

“I would like them [new immigrants] to be interviewed to [ensure] that they do not have anger or hatred, as ISIS [has] stated [that] they have infiltrated the refugee camps and [they’re] sending terrorists to North America through such lame processes that we just believe everything. I would like them to be interviewed on their beliefs of Sharia Law, and other such ideologies that do not fit into our Canadian laws or way of life. 

“Black Lives Matter are not the only protestors/rioters that have caused discord in the USA. I am talking about all of the hate groups. From the KKK all the way to the Black Panthers and every group in between that calls for the death to another race.

Further indication of Ward's apparent difficulty in engaging in self-reflection can be found on social media.

Uhm, no. No it wasn't.

Charleston Killer Convicted on All Charges

While the victims and their families may have received justice, there are people who continue to celebrate the actions of the murderer just as they did when it occurred. That fact remains disquieting to say the least.

While this horrible event occurred in the United States, we will remind our readers of the Canadian connection:

• Updated: Charleston Killer and Racist Symbolism
• Paul Fromm: Council of Conservative Citizens Link to Charleston Killer
• Paul Fromm and the Council of Conservative Citizens: Canadian MSM Makes Connection
• Paulie Denied Entry Into United States

December 2016 Bits and Bites

We begin with a very brief update on Paulie who is so tickled pink (well, more pink than he usually is) about Trump's election that he isn't bothering to try to conceal his views in more "respectable" terms anymore:

We're sure that Paulie will be leading the charge.... so long as others foot the bill so that he can maintain the lifestyle that he has become accustomed to.

And as long as others actually take on any potential risks. That of course goes without saying.

Out in British Columbia, some members of the Soldiers of Odin tried to crash an anti-racism rally in Richmond. Suffice it to say that it didn't go especially well for them:

However, it was marred slightly by the appearance of a small group from the Soldiers of Odin, a citizen-based “street patrol” organization, closely connected to anti-immigration movements in Finland.
....
On Sunday, although claiming not to be racist, pledging support for everyone, irrespective of race and carrying signs stating “Stand And Fight Against Hate,” — the three men representing the Soldiers of Odin were told their presence wasn’t welcome and, after a few words were exchanged, moved further down No. 3 Road. 

Despite repeated attempts to contact the Soldiers of Odin’s B.C. chapter through its Facebook page, the News was not able to reach the group or its local leaders for comment.  

At the event, Soldiers of Odin representative Kris Erickson told the News’ photographer that everyone had got their message wrong and claimed that they were there to express solidarity with the protestors.
....
SOO, which has chapters across Canada, denies, on its public Facebook page, any accusations of being racist or anti-immigrant and claims to exist to primarily protect women and children by keeping the streets safe. 

However, it’s been alleged the group’s private Facebook page is filled with racist and xenophobic comments, mainly directed towards Muslims.

In other interesting news, we found the following rather enigmatic post on Quebec SOO chapter president David Tregget's Facebook page:

A Busy Weekend for Extremism in Calgary: Blood & Honour and "The Rebel"

This past weekend there were two Calgary events that caught our attention. In some ways they were a study in contrasts. One event was held on Saturday by a small, shadowy, group that has since 2012 shunned media attention. The other was held on Sunday by a relatively politically savvy group that, while claiming to revile the media, works very hard to capture the attention of that same media for fun and profit.

But while their methods in dealing with media attention might contrast, there are still a few similarities which is perhaps a bit ironic considering one is a hate group in Calgary run by a violent antisemite and the other is a media platform established by a prominent (though not widely respected) Jewish-Canadian which has been used to rile up Canadian and foment hatred.

On Saturday, Blood & Honour in Calgary held an event:

This was actually the latest in a number of events organized by Kyle McKee's B&H since 2013. Prior to 2013, McKee and co. were frequently in the news with their White Pride March which was for a while an annual annoyance. Though McKee might have been pleased with the notoriety in those cases, the other times he and his group were mentioned tended to result in rather unwanted attention by the police and frequently ended up with McKee and others finding themselves as guests of Her Majesty's hospitality for months and years at a time. But then charges of assault, vandalism, illegal possession of weapons, attempted murder, and murder will put a bit of a damper on one's desire to be famous.

But recently though, and after Trump's victory in the United States, it looks like Calgary's B&H has decided to make itself known again:

The above photo was taken at the Lion's Park LRT station around November 22. If one wishes to look at the silver lining of Trump's election victory in November based in part on stoking racial prejudices in some of his supporters is that the media is more willing to pay attention to hate groups whereas in the past they would be ignored as "fringe" and "irrelevant":

• White nationalist stickers appear at Calgary LRT station
• Calgary Positive posters duke it out with neo-Nazi stickers on Calgary Transit property

McKee (posing as "Freedom Fighter") appears to confirm on Stormfront that there will be more active recruitment by B&H in Calgary in the future:

What McKee doesn't seem to understand is that as he has grown increasingly arrogant concerning B&H and his belief that he's operating under the radar, he's also become very sloppy. 

We'll leave that there for Kyle to ponder.

Blood & Honour and like gangs are dangerous, though as we've always noted that their danger lies in how they target individuals and communities. That fact can't be discounted, but we've always written that gangs such as McKee's are ultimately not a danger to the social fabric of the country as a whole. Even in the post-truth era of Trump, that remains true in general. The real danger are individuals and groups that are able to stoke the fear of demographic and cultural change in the country and use that fear to create resentment and hatred which, if directed, could lead to violence.

That's where people like Ezra come in:

The previous weekend, Ezra Levant and "The Rebel" held an anti-carbon tax rally at the Edmonton legislature which sort of made national news when some of the folks in the crowd began the Trump inspired chant, "lock her up!" Chris Alexander was present then and was too spineless to say anything at the time, but bravely mentioned how uncomfortable he was with the chant when not with the angry mob. Others in politics and media did however condemn the chant, which prompted Levant criticize those conservative politicians who were critical of the mob-like chant that was only missing the pitchforks and torches....

.... and to double down on the chant:

Also not surprising, Ezra has decided to try to monetize the controversy by selling a t-shirt to people who he has suggested are financially hard done by the Alberta government:

Unlike boneheads, Ezra actually loves him some t-shirts. 

Ezra has tried to make the case that the crowd weren't really demanding the arrest and imprisonment of democratically elected politicians who are doing their job (whether or not people agree with the policies enacted by said politicians is an entirely different matter and the reason why we have elections, but that's another matter). No, these people are merely frustrated, non-violent, folk who are venting but who are not actually serious about subverting democracy. Any fool could see that, right?

If this is Ezra's argument, then he should perhaps let his follower know that they should play along:

Ezra Levant and Canadian-Style Trumpism

In Edmonton this past weekend, Ezra Levant and his merry little basket of deplorables posing as journalists held a rally at the legislature opposing the carbon tax passed by the NDP government that is set to come into effect in January 2017. Aside from the fact that Levant claims The Rebel is a journalistic endeavor and that political advocacy more than blurs any pretense of journalistic objectivity, protesting is perfectly fine in a democratic society. Prominent politicians such as Wildrose leader Brian Jean and federal Conservative leadership candidate Chris Alexander were in attendance

Chris Alexander reacts to a crowd at a Rebel Media hosted anti-carbon tax rally, as they
begin to chant "Lock her up." (Sheila Gunn Reid/Twitter, Zoe Todd/CBC)

But things really did go off the rails very quickly:

1. Bernard Hancock (the actor playing the role of "Bernard the Roughneck") encouraged the illegal hacking of the government in order to obtain material that could be used against the government: “I know there’s a bunch of stuff they can dig up on what’s going on in that building…we need their help.”
2. Some individuals attending the protesting appeared to have additional motives as they proudly displayed homophobic signs. Levant claims they were NDP plants since his supporters would NEVER act in such vulgar ways.
3. Supporters of an anti-immigrant group handed out flyers targeting minorities.
4. Perhaps getting the most coverage, many in the crowd began shouting "lock her up!" referring to Alberta premier Rachel Notley (because.... reasons) while federal Conservative leadership hopeful Chris Alexander was speaking. He later expressed how uncomfortable he was when he heard the chant, though didn't do anything about it at the time. Not much in the way of courage, but at least he feels bad.

Not surprisingly, this all resulted in significant media coverage as other conservative (big "C" and small "c") politicians denounced the rhetoric at the rally and comparisons to Donald Trump-style politics were made:

• Graham Thomson: Alberta politicians of all stripes distance themselves from yahoos at Saturday rally
• 'Lock her up for what?' Professor weighs in on Alberta rally
• Wildrose leader denounces 'lock her up' chanters at weekend rally
• Chris Alexander says he was 'mortified' by chants of 'lock her up' aimed at Alberta premier
• Alberta, federal politicians denounce ‘lock her up’ rally as Trump-style politics

Well, we guess not everyone was ready to denounce the "lock her up!" chant:

Then again Brad Trost is sort of an idiot. And considering that your "friend" Alexander is scrambling as quickly as he can away from the incident, we're not sure he would be as appreciative of your public support for him in relation to the chant.

But anywho....

In brief, it was all a bit of a dumpster fire. And Ezra being Ezra, there's no fire he isn't willing to throw more gasoline on as he later double downed on the "lock her up!" chant:

If the shoe fits....

Let's take a closer look some of the incidents that occurred.

Muslim Women Threatened in Edmonton

UPDATE (December 6, 2016): There is currently a suspect in custody.

So, this happened on November 8 (hmmm, what else happened on that day?):

Police seek public’s assistance to identify LRT hate crime suspect 

For Immediate Release:05-Dec-2016 @ 3:15 PM
MRU #:16R0131 

The Edmonton Police Service is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a male suspect in connection with an alleged hate crime that occurred at the University of Alberta LRT Station on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. 

The EPS Hate Crimes Detail is investigating the alleged incident, which saw an elderly male approach and threaten two young women wearing hijabs (head scarves), at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 8th. 

Cell phone video shot by one of the complainants shows an elderly male pulling a rope from his pocket, then tying a noose, before issuing the threat, “This is for you!” The suspect male then proceeded to sing O’Canada in front of the two women. 

The suspect is described as a (see image below):

• Caucasian male 

• In his 60s 

• Thin build

• Glasses

• Balding with grey hair

Anyone who has information about this incident is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.tipsubmit.com/start.htm.

Please contact Scott Pattison at (780) 421-3553 for more information.

Any information on this incident and of this individual, please contact the authorities in Edmonton.