BPC Bulletin: Your Ward News Publisher and Editor Sentenced in Toronto

News Reports and Commentary Selected by Franklin Carterof the Book and Periodical Council’s Freedom of Expression Committee

In Toronto, the publisher and editor of Your Ward News have been sentenced in court for promoting hatred against women and Jews.

LeRoy St. Germaine, the paper’s publisher, was sentenced to 12 months of strict house arrest.

James Sears, the paper’s editor, was sentenced to one year in prison. He is out on bail and plans to appeal the ruling.

REPORTAGE

The Canadian Press reports:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-your-ward-news-leroy-stgermaine-1.5264047

Adrian Ghobrial of Toronto’s CityNews reports:
https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2019/08/29/publisher-of-your-ward-news-sentenced/

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/08/28/james-sears-your-ward-news-hate/

Tiffany Lam of CBC News reports:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/your-ward-news-bail-1.5263071

Kerri Breen of Global News reports:
https://globalnews.ca/news/5810045/jail-promoting-hate-strong-message/

Paul Lungen of The Canadian Jewish News reports:
https://www.cjnews.com/news/canada/publisher-of-your-ward-news-gets-house-arrest

Joanna Lavoie of Toronto.com reports:
https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9563162-your-ward-news-editor-james-sears-gets-jail-time-for-promoting-hate/

Colin Perkel of the Canadian Press reports:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/your-ward-news-james-sears-sentenced-1.5256452

Mack Lamoureux of Vice reports:
https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/pa7bw7/james-sears-editor-of-canadas-most-racist-paper-ygets-year-in-prison-for-promoting-hate-your-ward-news

COMMENTARY

In The Globe and Mail, Marcus Gee comments:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-jailing-people-for-hate-speech-is-wrong/

Rosie DiManno of the Toronto Star writes:
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2019/08/22/judge-gives-editor-of-vile-your-ward-news-maximum-sentence-and-regrets-it-couldnt-be-longer.html

B’nai Brith Canada comments:
https://www.bnaibrith.ca/tough_sentence_for_your_ward_news_publisher

Warren Kinsella comments:
http://warrenkinsella.com/2019/08/hate-rag-editor-gets-a-year-in-jail/

LeRoy St. Germaine of Your Ward News comments:
http://yourwardnews.com/

The Book and Periodical Council was formed in 1975 as the Book and Periodical Development Council to provide a venue for members to discuss industry issues, address mutual concerns and undertake projects for the benefit of Canadian writing and publishing.