Don Andrews
Encyclopedia
Donald Clarke Andrews (born 1942 as Vilim Zlomislic) is a Canadian white supremacist. He is also the leader of the neo-Nazi Nationalist Party of Canada
and a perennial candidate
for mayor of Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
.
, (today part of Serbia
) during World War II
. His father was killed by the Nazis while fighting with the Partisans
against the German
occupation of Yugoslavia
in late 1944. His mother, Rose, was shipped to Germany in 1943 to work as slave labour for the Nazis and Vilim was placed in an orphanage. In 1945, Rose was told that her son had been killed in an air raid. After the war, she met and married Frederick Andrews, a Canadian working for a United Nations agency in a German displaced persons' camp. The couple moved to Toronto.
Vilim remained at the orphanage and was a member of the Communist Young Pioneers in post-war Communist-ruled Yugoslavia
. He suffered an accident during a camping trip and a botched operation on his leg left him limping and scarred for life.
His mother continued to search for him after the war through the assistance of the Red Cross which located Vilim in 1952 and brought him to Canada where he was re-united with his mother and re-Christened Donald Clarke Andrews.
In Canada, Andrews developed a strong antipathy for Communism which he blamed for his physical disability. After graduating from high school he began reading far right tracts by the John Birch Society
and George Lincoln Rockwell
and adopted far right and ultimately fascist ideas.
and subsequently took a public health inspection course at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute and earned his qualifications in 1964. He worked as a public health inspector in Scarborough in the 1970s. More recently, he has derived his income by being a landlord.
groups and cofounded the Edmund Burke Society
with Paul Fromm in 1967. Andrews became the primary leader of the group and transformed it into the openly racist, anti-Semitic
and white supremacist Western Guard
in 1972. Paul Fromm split with Andrews shortly after the Western Guard was formed in 1972.
Andrews was the first person in Canada charged with wilfully promoting hatred, and in 1975 he was charged with offences ranging from plotting arson, possession of weapons and explosives, and mischief. He was sentenced to two years in jail for conspiring to bomb a visiting Israeli soccer team. Consequently, the leadership of the Western Guard fell to John Ross Taylor
in 1976.
when he came in nineteenth place with 0.12% of the vote. On one occasion, in the 1970s, Andrews placed a distant second in the mayoralty race as no serious candidate ran against popular incumbent, David Crombie. As a result, the municipal law was changed so that the runner-up in the mayoralty contest no longer had the right to succeed to the mayor's chair should the position become vacant between elections. Andrews has only run on occasions when his name appears first on the ballot. He sat out the 2000 municipal election in which fringe candidate Enza "Supermodel" Anderson
was a candidate.
As of 1994, Andrews' organization had launched a campaign to celebrate "European Heritage Day," but when it was realized that the event was spearheaded by a neo-Nazi organization, the various cities approached rejected it or revoked their original decision. In 1998, Andrews tried a new tactic by attempting to get a European heritage week declared in London, Ontario. When it was recognized as a neo-Nazi attempt, an emergency vote was held by the municipal government, and the week was canceled.
, Ku Klux Klan
leaders Wolfgang Droege
and Don Black, as well as former Prime Minister Patrick John
, conspired to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Eugenia Charles
on the island of Dominica
.
The invasion was meant to restore John to power and to transform the island into a white supremacist nation. John was forced to resign in 1979 after a popular uprising against his Administration.
The plan was to charter a boat to Dominica and rendezvous via rubber boats with John and his makeshift army, made up of remnants of the Dominica Defense Force. The genesis of the idea came from long-time Klan member Mike Purdue, who was introduced in 1979 to Droege through David Duke.
Duke initially involved Don Andrews but after Purdue changed the target island to Dominica, Andrews bailed out. Andrews however put Purdue in contact with Klansmen Arnie Polli and Roger Dermee who were paid US$3,000 to visit Dominica to obtain preliminary reconnaissance.
Andrews also put Purdue in contact with Charles Yanover, who was a well-known organized crime figure. Yanover who was ecstatic with the idea, provided Purdue with a $10,000 advance. In return for the investment, Yanover was given the right to set up a gunrunning operation to smuggle weapons into South Africa and Central America.
Nationalist Party of Canada
The Nationalist Party of Canada is an unregistered Canadian political party that was founded in 1977 by Don Andrews , who continues as leader of the party...
and a perennial candidate
Perennial candidate
A perennial candidate is one who frequently runs for public office with a record of success that is infrequent, if existent at all. Perennial candidates are often either members of minority political parties or have political opinions that are not mainstream. They may run without any serious hope...
for mayor of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Early years
Zlomislic was born to Croat parents in the region of VojvodinaVojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
, (today part of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
) during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. His father was killed by the Nazis while fighting with the Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
against the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
occupation of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in late 1944. His mother, Rose, was shipped to Germany in 1943 to work as slave labour for the Nazis and Vilim was placed in an orphanage. In 1945, Rose was told that her son had been killed in an air raid. After the war, she met and married Frederick Andrews, a Canadian working for a United Nations agency in a German displaced persons' camp. The couple moved to Toronto.
Vilim remained at the orphanage and was a member of the Communist Young Pioneers in post-war Communist-ruled Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. He suffered an accident during a camping trip and a botched operation on his leg left him limping and scarred for life.
His mother continued to search for him after the war through the assistance of the Red Cross which located Vilim in 1952 and brought him to Canada where he was re-united with his mother and re-Christened Donald Clarke Andrews.
In Canada, Andrews developed a strong antipathy for Communism which he blamed for his physical disability. After graduating from high school he began reading far right tracts by the John Birch Society
John Birch Society
The John Birch Society is an American political advocacy group that supports anti-communism, limited government, a Constitutional Republic and personal freedom. It has been described as radical right-wing....
and George Lincoln Rockwell
George Lincoln Rockwell
George Lincoln Rockwell was the founder of the American Nazi Party. Rockwell was a major figure in the neo-Nazi movement in the United States, and his beliefs and writings have continued to be influential among white nationalists and neo-Nazis.-Early life:Rockwell was born in Bloomington,...
and adopted far right and ultimately fascist ideas.
Education and work
Andrews was educated at R. H. King Collegiate Institute in Scarborough, OntarioScarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
and subsequently took a public health inspection course at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute and earned his qualifications in 1964. He worked as a public health inspector in Scarborough in the 1970s. More recently, he has derived his income by being a landlord.
Racist activity
In the 1960s, Andrews was drawn to far right racistRacism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
groups and cofounded the Edmund Burke Society
Edmund Burke Society
The Edmund Burke Society was a far right organization formed by Paul Fromm, Don Andrews, Al Overfield and Leigh Smith in 1967 at the University of Toronto. The group was anti-communist and promoted conservative values...
with Paul Fromm in 1967. Andrews became the primary leader of the group and transformed it into the openly racist, anti-Semitic
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
and white supremacist Western Guard
Western Guard Party
The Western Guard Party was a white supremacist group based in Toronto, Canada. It evolved out of the far-right anti-Communist Edmund Burke Society that had been founded in 1967 by Don Andrews, Paul Fromm, Leigh Smith and Al Overfield.Andrews became the dominant figure in the EBS, and relaunched...
in 1972. Paul Fromm split with Andrews shortly after the Western Guard was formed in 1972.
Andrews was the first person in Canada charged with wilfully promoting hatred, and in 1975 he was charged with offences ranging from plotting arson, possession of weapons and explosives, and mischief. He was sentenced to two years in jail for conspiring to bomb a visiting Israeli soccer team. Consequently, the leadership of the Western Guard fell to John Ross Taylor
John Ross Taylor
John Ross Taylor was a Canadian fascist political activist and party leader prominent in white nationalist circles....
in 1976.
Nationalist Party
Don Andrews has run for Mayor of Toronto several times, most recently in 2010Toronto mayoral election, 2010
The 2010 Toronto mayoral election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect a mayor of the City of Toronto, Canada. The mayor's seat was open for the first time since the 2003 Toronto election due to the announcement by incumbent mayor David Miller that he will not seek a third term in office...
when he came in nineteenth place with 0.12% of the vote. On one occasion, in the 1970s, Andrews placed a distant second in the mayoralty race as no serious candidate ran against popular incumbent, David Crombie. As a result, the municipal law was changed so that the runner-up in the mayoralty contest no longer had the right to succeed to the mayor's chair should the position become vacant between elections. Andrews has only run on occasions when his name appears first on the ballot. He sat out the 2000 municipal election in which fringe candidate Enza "Supermodel" Anderson
Enza Anderson
Enza "Supermodel" Anderson is a Canadian transgender political activist and media personality.-Early life and education:...
was a candidate.
As of 1994, Andrews' organization had launched a campaign to celebrate "European Heritage Day," but when it was realized that the event was spearheaded by a neo-Nazi organization, the various cities approached rejected it or revoked their original decision. In 1998, Andrews tried a new tactic by attempting to get a European heritage week declared in London, Ontario. When it was recognized as a neo-Nazi attempt, an emergency vote was held by the municipal government, and the week was canceled.
Dominica invasion attempt
In what became known as Operation Red DogOperation Red Dog
Operation Red Dog was the code name of plan by Canadian and American mercenaries, largely affiliated with white supremacist and Ku Klux Klan groups, to overthrow the government of Dominica, where they planned to restore former Prime Minister Patrick John to power...
, Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
leaders Wolfgang Droege
Wolfgang Droege
Wolfgang Walter Droege was a Canadian white supremacist, neo-Nazi and founding leader of the Heritage Front.-Early life:...
and Don Black, as well as former Prime Minister Patrick John
Patrick John
Colonel Patrick Roland John was the Prime Minister of Dominica as well as the Premier of Dominica. During his premiership Dominica gained independence from the United Kingdom and he became the first Prime Minister of Dominica. He was a successful trade union leader and a mayor of Roseau before...
, conspired to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Eugenia Charles
Eugenia Charles
Dame Mary Eugenia Charles, DBE was Prime Minister of Dominica from 21 July 1980 until 14 June 1995. She was Dominica's first, and to date only, female prime minister, as well as the nation's longest serving prime minister...
on the island of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
.
The invasion was meant to restore John to power and to transform the island into a white supremacist nation. John was forced to resign in 1979 after a popular uprising against his Administration.
The plan was to charter a boat to Dominica and rendezvous via rubber boats with John and his makeshift army, made up of remnants of the Dominica Defense Force. The genesis of the idea came from long-time Klan member Mike Purdue, who was introduced in 1979 to Droege through David Duke.
Duke initially involved Don Andrews but after Purdue changed the target island to Dominica, Andrews bailed out. Andrews however put Purdue in contact with Klansmen Arnie Polli and Roger Dermee who were paid US$3,000 to visit Dominica to obtain preliminary reconnaissance.
Andrews also put Purdue in contact with Charles Yanover, who was a well-known organized crime figure. Yanover who was ecstatic with the idea, provided Purdue with a $10,000 advance. In return for the investment, Yanover was given the right to set up a gunrunning operation to smuggle weapons into South Africa and Central America.