William John Beattie
Encyclopedia
William John Beattie was the founder and former leader of the Canadian Nazi Party
. The establishment of the Canadian Nazi Party, re-named the National Socialist Party in 1967, marked a re-emergence of organized neo-Nazi activity in Canada
that had been dormant since the days of Adrian Arcand. http://veritas.nizkor.org/ftp.cgi/orgs/canadian/sirc/heritage-front/HF-I-Overview
, and John Ross Taylor
, all of whom would later play important leadership roles in the far right in later years. Weiche was identified as president of the "Canadian National Socialist Party" which may be a successor organization to Beattie's group.
Beattie organized a number of rallies in Toronto
in the mid 1960s, although few actual Canadian Nazi Party members attended, and none of the rallies resulted in much support for Beattie’s cause. One of these rallies on May 30, 1965, resulted in a violent encounter with Jewish activists who disrupted Beattie’s rally at Allan Gardens
. Beattie later found himself in legal trouble as a result of his rallies. As a result of a number of violent confrontations, Beattie was sent to prison for six months having been convicted of public mischief. In a 1966 Playboy Magazine interview, American Nazi Party
founder George Lincoln Rockwell
referred to Beattie as leading, “a tremendous and successful movement” in Canada.
After changing the group’s name to the National Socialist Party, Beattie created a recorded telephone message line. Among the messages recorded was one that claimed, “that blacks were being manipulated by Jew-communists.”
, Ontario. “His second gathering, called 'Save Our Canada Day Festival', attracted more than 200 racial activists from Toronto, Ottawa
, Montreal
, and New York State and resulted in a large cross being burned in celebration of the Aryan race
.”
concerning Holocaust denier
Ernst Zundel
in 2000. Fromm’s organization, the Canadian Association for Free Expression, had intervener status during the hearings. Fromm claimed that Beattie would testify that the Canadian Nazi Party had been a front created by the Canadian Jewish Congress
as a means to enact Section 319 of the Criminal Code
:
When it came time for his testimony however, Beattie was unavailable. Though Fromm claimed that Beattie’s absence was as a result of a scheduling conflict, it appears that Beattie was upset by the wording of the press release that referred to him as a “dupe” and “patsy.” NOW magazine 14 December 2000
) has resumed his far-right activities. Beattie has re-created the British People’s League which claims to promote and protect “our ancient cultural traditions, as a powerful lobby force.” At one point, he hosted an Internet radio program that now appears to have ceased.
Canadian Nazi Party
The Canadian National Socialist Party known as the Canadian Nazi Party existed from 1965 to 1978. It was led by William John Beattie....
. The establishment of the Canadian Nazi Party, re-named the National Socialist Party in 1967, marked a re-emergence of organized neo-Nazi activity in 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...
that had been dormant since the days of Adrian Arcand. http://veritas.nizkor.org/ftp.cgi/orgs/canadian/sirc/heritage-front/HF-I-Overview
The Canadian Nazi Party leader
Beattie led the Canadian Nazi Party/National Socialist Party from its establishment in 1965 to 1978 when the group disbanded. Prominent members of the Canadian Nazi Party included Jacob Prins, Martin K. WeicheMartin K. Weiche
Martin K. Weiche was a far-right neo-Nazi political figure and building contractor in Canada.-Background:Born in Germany, January 6, 1921...
, and John Ross Taylor
John Ross Taylor
John Ross Taylor was a Canadian fascist political activist and party leader prominent in white nationalist circles....
, all of whom would later play important leadership roles in the far right in later years. Weiche was identified as president of the "Canadian National Socialist Party" which may be a successor organization to Beattie's group.
Beattie organized a number of rallies in 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...
in the mid 1960s, although few actual Canadian Nazi Party members attended, and none of the rallies resulted in much support for Beattie’s cause. One of these rallies on May 30, 1965, resulted in a violent encounter with Jewish activists who disrupted Beattie’s rally at Allan Gardens
Allan Gardens
Allan Gardens is one of the oldest parks in Toronto, Canada. It has a conservatory , a playground and two fenced off-leash areas for dogs. It is operated by Toronto Parks who also run Centennial Park Conservatory...
. Beattie later found himself in legal trouble as a result of his rallies. As a result of a number of violent confrontations, Beattie was sent to prison for six months having been convicted of public mischief. In a 1966 Playboy Magazine interview, American Nazi Party
American Nazi Party
The American Nazi Party was an American political party founded by discharged U.S. Navy Commander George Lincoln Rockwell. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Rockwell initially called it the World Union of Free Enterprise National Socialists , but later renamed it the American Nazi Party in...
founder 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,...
referred to Beattie as leading, “a tremendous and successful movement” in Canada.
After changing the group’s name to the National Socialist Party, Beattie created a recorded telephone message line. Among the messages recorded was one that claimed, “that blacks were being manipulated by Jew-communists.”
Activities after the Canadian Nazi Party
Beattie disbanded the National Socialist Party in 1978. Soon after he and John Ross Taylor co-founded the short-lived British People’s League. In both 1988 and 1989, Beattie organized neo-Nazi rallies on his property in MindenMinden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
, Ontario. “His second gathering, called 'Save Our Canada Day Festival', attracted more than 200 racial activists from Toronto, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and New York State and resulted in a large cross being burned in celebration of the Aryan race
Aryan race
The Aryan race is a concept historically influential in Western culture in the period of the late 19th century and early 20th century. It derives from the idea that the original speakers of the Indo-European languages and their descendants up to the present day constitute a distinctive race or...
.”
Ernst Zundel’s Canadian Human Right Tribunal hearing
Beattie was to be a key witness for Paul Fromm during the Canadian Human Rights TribunalCanadian Human Rights Tribunal
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal is an administrative tribunal established in 1977 by the Canadian Human Rights Act. It is directly funded by the Parliament of Canada and is independent of the Canadian Human Rights Commission which refers cases to it for adjudication under the Act.The Tribunal...
concerning Holocaust denier
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
Ernst Zundel
Ernst Zündel
Ernst Christof Friedrich Zündel is a German Holocaust denier and pamphleteer who was jailed several times in Canada for publishing literature which "is likely to incite hatred against an identifiable group" and for being a threat to national security, in the United States for overstaying his visa,...
in 2000. Fromm’s organization, the Canadian Association for Free Expression, had intervener status during the hearings. Fromm claimed that Beattie would testify that the Canadian Nazi Party had been a front created by the Canadian Jewish Congress
Canadian Jewish Congress
The Canadian Jewish Congress was one of the main lobby groups for the Jewish community in the country, although it often competed with the more conservative B'nai Brith Canada in that regard. At its dissolution, the president of the CJC was Mark Freiman. Its past co-presidents were Sylvain Abitbol...
as a means to enact Section 319 of the Criminal Code
Criminal Code of Canada
The Criminal Code or Code criminel is a law that codifies most criminal offences and procedures in Canada. Its official long title is "An Act respecting the criminal law"...
:
- "Beattie will reveal that he was a dupe and a patsy, that everything from his group's name to its major activities was suggested or quarterbacked by persons acting as agents for or reporting to the Canadian Jewish Congress. Uncannily, at the very time that the Canadian Nazi Party was being built up and just as quickly destroyed a government committee was holding hearings to propose anti-hate legislation. The Cohen Committee made significant mention of the threat posed by John Beattie. The Canadian Jewish Congress, which largely created the short-lived Canadian Nazi Party, had, since the 1930s been lobbying for restrictions on freedom of speech.
- "Beattie will reveal how an agent for the Canadian Jewish Congress lured him into a technical breech of the law, which landed the now unemployed, penniless Nazi leader in prison for six months. Beattie will also expose the fact that the same agent proposed legal maneuvers [sic] that were calculated to frighten and cause distress among Jews, thus heightening the "Nazi" menace, which was used as the argument for the 1971 "hate law" (Section 319 of the Criminal Code) and the subsequent section 13.1 (telephonic communication of hate) of the Canadian Human Rights Act, where truth is no defence."
When it came time for his testimony however, Beattie was unavailable. Though Fromm claimed that Beattie’s absence was as a result of a scheduling conflict, it appears that Beattie was upset by the wording of the press release that referred to him as a “dupe” and “patsy.” NOW magazine 14 December 2000
Current activities
John Beattie (who now works as a paralegalParalegal
Paralegal is used in most jurisdictions to describe a paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work. This is true in the United States and many other countries. However, in Ontario, Canada, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, giving paralegals an...
) has resumed his far-right activities. Beattie has re-created the British People’s League which claims to promote and protect “our ancient cultural traditions, as a powerful lobby force.” At one point, he hosted an Internet radio program that now appears to have ceased.
External links
- Hate Groups and Bigotry’s Fellow Travellers
- The Two Faces of Paul Fromm
- False Perceptions of an Inclusive Society: A Century of Racism and Hate in Canada
- The Skinhead International: Canada
- John Beattie to Expose the Party that Never Was CAFÉ Press Release
- April 1966 Playboy Interview: George Lincoln Rockwell
- Heritage Front Overview: The New Groups
- The British People’s League