Doug Christie

Thoughts and Tributes on the passing of Douglas Christie

One of Canada’s Greatest Freedom Fighters

http://blog.freedomsite.org/2013/03/barbara-kulaszka-ezra-levant-paul-fromm.html

“I think my daughter said it best, that everybody talks about his legacy as a lawyer, a public speaker, an inspirational speaker — a person who helped a lot of people who were down and out and couldn’t pay — but she said his real legacy was as a father.” – Keltie Zubko

“I was honoured to work with Doug Christie over the past 25 years. Canada is a much better place today than it might have been because he had the courage to defend clients targeted by the powerful and did so brilliantly. I regard him as one of the greatest lawyers Canada has produced, since he defended extremely unpopular and isolated people fearlessly and in doing so protected the rights of all Canadians to freedom of speech and the right to be heard.  He is an advocate in the truest sense of the word.” – Barbara Kulaszka

“I’m saddened to report that my friend Doug Christie has passed away. Doug was a lawyer, husband and a dad from Victoria BC.  But he was more than that of course.  For a generation he was Canada’s leading free speech advocate – in fact, he was often Canada’s only free speech advocate. …  Doug Christie kept the flame of free speech burning for all of us. For Jews, for gentiles, for blacks, for whites, for conservatives, for liberals…  That’s the thing about free speech that Doug Christie understood; it’s the gift that you have to give to your opponents, if you want it for yourself.  I’ll miss Doug.  He was a great public speaker, and a passionate scholar of history … He’s gone, but his project [for freedom] continues; and I pledge that I’ll continue his fight.  Rest in Peace Doug Christie; A freedom fighter of the first order.” – Ezra Levant 

“Doug was an immensely brave man and a towering presence in Court. His height and firmness of bearing made an impact on many a judge, and, I suspect, many a miscreant or liar under cross-examination. Other lawyers have told me that Doug was one of the most intimidating cross-examiners in this Dominion. … The Doug I knew was a sensitive and proud man. He was a deeply moral man. He did not seek notoriety. He felt the rejections and condemnations deeply. Yet, Doug felt a higher imperative -- individual freedom and liberty. These had once been the values of our generation. … Doug Christie was a one man Dutch boy with his finger in the dyke holding back the tidal wave of repression. His achievements were many.” – Paul Fromm

“I weep and am sorrowful. Doug Christie stood his ground, he fought using principle, he is and always was a free man, he loved his life, his children, his partner and all the treasure his life created. I saw him take on the most difficult conundrums in our struggle to be free and defended the principle of freedom for all of us. Objectively, we are measured by our ability to improve the human condition and I am a better Canadian because Doug Christie defended my freedom. This is a great loss to humanity, to humans everywhere. I am proud to call Doug Christie my countryman. You are a hero Doug Christie. We will not forget you. I will not forget you. Thank-you Doug Christie.” – Philip Kuefler 

“Along with so many others, I will remember Doug Christie with gratitude and high regard. The memory of this courageous and principled man shines all the brighter during our dark age of rampant opportunism and deceit. My sympathy goes especially to Keltie, his devoted wife.” – Mark Weber

“When I met Doug Christie he was the complete opposite of what I was told to expect. He was a very caring libertarian; he stuck up for the rights of almost anybody. … I’ve always kind of compared him to a giant sequoia. His roots are deep; the shadow is right across the country. And we’ve lost a giant. We really have.” – Barclay Johnson

 “Douglas Christie is a hero and dedicated fighter for freedom of speech.  In my youth, I recollect attending a meeting where he was the guest speaker. I was struck not only by his superior oratory skills, but even more so by both his passion and love for freedom. He brilliantly conveyed the significance of what freedom is all about and how vital it is to resist artificially induced state control over it.

Over the past couple of decades I have become closely acquainted with Doug. The respect that spawned the evening I saw him speak for the first time only deepened with every case and submission that he made on behalf of freedom. His defences consisted of a rare combination of sound logic and reason combined with compelling emotion.” – Marc Lemire