Friday, July 24, 1998 - North Shore News ~ 3 News columns dissected Richard Skelly Contributing Writer DOUG Collins subtly wove trivializing references to Jewish culture into North Shore News columns that wooed readers with hateful and “intensely anti-Semitic” messages, says a noted academic. But York University anthropologist Frances. Henry doesn't agree that she used one of those same trivicfizing literary tech- niques in a written analysis of Collins for the 4.C. Human Rights Tribunal. On Monday, Collins and the North Shore News through its lawyer David Sutherland intormed the tribunal thar both would be boycotting the hearing, the second such tribunal dealing with Collins’ columns. A five-week hearing took place last year in Vancouver, At its conclusion, the one-person tibural ruled chat the Collin. column at issue diel ot constitute hatred ts outline in the NDI’s amend- ed Human Rights Code. On Wednesday, Henry submitted her analysis and touched on many of its points as a witness for the B.C. Human Rights Commission. Anthropologist testifies that Collins columns delivered “anti-semitic” messages terized Collins as a purveyor of a new, subtier variety of anti-semi- tism that can ensnare 3 wider audience than traditional “Archie Bunker ‘redneck* bigots.” The commission and B'nai Brith Canada are making legal interventions to supporta complaint filed by Victoria businessman Harry Abrams against Collins and the News. Eapected to wrap up today, the one man tribunal will deter- mine if the now-retired journalist and the newspaper published hate literature under the discriminatory-publication section of the Human Rights Code, which prohibits the publication of any material that is “likely” to expose “a person or a group or class of persons to hatred or conterapt.” Abrams is asking the tribunal to assess separate $5,000 penal dies for each of the four columns at issue against both respondents io be paid to B'nai B'rith Canada. Abrams, whose case is being finany 2d by legal aid, is also avk- ing tor personal compensation of an additional $2,000. On the basis of four columns published in 1994, Henre’ observed that Collins’ references to the Nazi-perpetrated Holocaust of European Jewry were seldom straight-forward. Instead, she said phrases such as “the six-million story” and the “six milion mater” oivialized the horrific slaughter. As well, Heary noted how Collins put parentheses around the word “sur- Vivors” to denote Holccaust victims who are still alive. In. a News interview. Henry speculated: “He puts it (survivors) M1 quotes SO We Won't be so sure these people are who they sav they are.” Collins also disparaged the “endless number” of reparations: secking Holocaust survivors when comparatively few Jews sur- vived Nazi genocide, she added. By tnvializing the Holocaust, she said Collins con:municates directly to commitied racists, while planting sceds of doubr in many other readers. Henry said his insouciant style is a far cry from the fast-vanish- ing number of anti-Semites who publish poorly written tracts illus- trated by drawings of “hump-backed” pedlars with long noses. “On first or second reading, they might not attach too mizch meaning to it (Collins’ anti-Semitism ;.~” said Henry. Uhe Yoronto-based academic added that the cumulative effect of such references could lead “borderline” racists to become white supremacists. See Witness page & Both on paper and in person, the race-relations expert charac- as S Concession cleared AFTER more than three decades of serving hungry and thirsty park-goers, the concession stand in Lynn Canyon Park — believed to be built in the ‘60s — has been torn down. es : Be NEWS photo Paul McGrath anc as th ‘oul play ruled out in eath of WV developer Robert Galster News Reporter robert@nsnews.com MORE than cight months after his death, a West Vancouver police investigation has con- cluded that the death of Kerry Dix did not involve foul play. The body of the 50-year-old Dix was found slumped in his bed at his West Vancouver home last Oct. 28 — the result of a heroin overdose. Dix was a principal in the now-defunct Dix Group which specialized in the acquisition, development and resale of residential propertics in the United States. “Ultimately we were faced with a heroin overdose,” said West Vancouver police Det. Janis Jean, who led the investigation into Dix’s death. Jean did not disclose details of her investigation, but said she exhausted all possibilities before reaching her conclusion. At the time of Dix’s death his company had about 750 investors who had invested a total of $24 million. Tony Iaizzo was an associate at the Dix Group and is continuing to work towards resolving issues surrounding various creditors. “Our mandate is to wind everything down and give everybody their money back,” said laizzo, who is work- ing toward a self-imposed deadline of next Christmas. “It's a huge job.” He said his efforts are certred around four develop- ments — two in Maui and two in San Diego. However there is a marked difference in the returns investors in the various projects will receive. Iaizzo said the San Diego projects are doing very well and investors can expect 100% returns on their investments. However those who invested in the Maui projects are considerably less fortunate with returns expected to be only 50% of the initial investments. taizzo said Dix’. death was “a tremendous shock to everyone” and while the police investigation failed to uncover any foul play, he still harbors a few suspicions. “I do have something in the back of my mind sug- gesting there’s a good chance there was (foul play), but Kerry was reckless,” said laizzo. Dix’s heroin use, occasional or otherwise, was also a surprise to laizzo. “I know he smoked a joint once in a while but 1 didn’t know he was putting stuff in his arm,” said Iaizzo. “He wasn’t an addict. I would have known that.” The coroner's report bears out laizzo’s assertion that Dix was not a heroin abuser — merely an occasional user. Vancouver City coroner Denver Snider ruled that Dix died of an accidental overdose, but was not an habitual user. He said Dix’s death was probably caused by the fact the strength of heroin found on Vancouver streets varies wildly in concentration with its purity ranging between 4% and 40%, “If you're an infrequent user your body ... is no where near to ready to take that jolt (of the upper con- centrations),” said Snider. “He may have used on ocea- sion but not often.” Dix was the adopted son of Wendy McDonald, owner of one-time North Varcouver company B.C. Bearing Engineers Ltd. He was survived by widow Lynn, who is a former West Vancouver figure skater. He had three children: Bill, Cameron and Mya in addition to grandson Cody. Collins defends free expression in boycott speech BELOW are excerpts from the statement Doug Collins made at the opening day of the latest human rights tribunal hearing: “Lam not attending this so-called human rights tribunal — except to say that ] am not artending. 1 am not defending tne columns Harry Abrams and B'Nai B'rith are compiaining about because there is nothing to defend. “The columns contain facts and opinions that Jewish organizations don’t Nike. But they are not hate literature. If they were | would have been charged ander the federal hate laws. Instead, the Human Rights Code — B.C."s Heresy Act — has been thrown at me and the North Shore News for the second time, It’s harassment, pure and simpic, especially when you consid- er that one of the columns that figure in this complaint was heard last year at the first tribunal. “... We are secing the greatest threat to freedom of the press since the courts slot down the Alberta Press Act in 1938. But many in the media don’t understand that or that this Heresy Act is an instrument for enforcing political correctness, so that anyone telling a Nevefie joke could find himself up before a kangarov court. “What is a kangaroo court? It’s a tribunal where truth is no defence, where opinion is on trial, where fines can be unlimited, where there is no trial by jury, where the judge — called an adjudicato: — is judge, jury and prosecutor, where there is no right of appeal within the framework of the act, where normal rules of evidence don’t exist, and where impressions count for more than fact... “Where heresy is concerned the NDP has no time for the real covirts and has admitted it. But the only hope lies with the regular legal system because this abominable Jaw is almost certainly unconstitutional. Roger McConchic, the lawyer for the B.C. Press Council, had it right when fe said that the Human Rights Code is an attempt to stifle speech that is not criminal. “Iv’s a big story, very little of which has been explained in the main- stream media. Saturated in political correctness as so many of them are, they demonize dissidents and accept handouts from people who use trigger words like “racist,” “white supremacist” “anti-Semitic”, and “hatemonger.” “But there has been some opposition. The Globe & Mail has called the law “a criminal abuse of human rights”; the Calgary Herald said it was “a tool of repression”; B.C. Report magazine has compared what is happening here with press restrictions in Nazi Germany; to its credit, even the Jewish Western Bulletin has stated editorially that this is a dangerous law, and the Writers Union of Canada asked Premicr Glen Clark to get rid of it. We can be sure that its letter went into the trash basket. “The B.C. Press Council and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association have See Rights pane David Snow series in News SIX years ago this month, David Snow inflicted his nightmarish savagery on three women at various locations on the North Shore. The actions of the then-37-year-old Ontario man left deep impressions on both his victims and the police officers that chased and finally caught him. In this Sunday’s News, reporter Anna Marie D°Angelo chrunicles the story of Staff Sgt. Randy Bennett who spent days with Snow following his arrest. Bennett was the officer in charge of the Snow manhunt and had eatensive dealings with everyone involved in Snow's crimes, including his victims. The North Vancouver RCMP produced a police training video about the Snow manhunt. Bennete is featured in the video that has been used across Canada to train police officers about unfolding major crime investigations. In next Wednesday’s News, D’Angelo will relate the story of Dalia Gelincau, the woman who was Snow’s last victim and continues to suffer as a result of the horrific experience. Cpl. Peter Cross, the officer whe found an apparently lifeless Gelincau and was able to put the cuffs on Snow, talks about his police work that night.