It’s not often that I write about foreign affairs, especially those of another country, but after I saw some of the news reports this morning, I am doing just that. How many of you are familiar with Iranium, the movie that is scheduled to be premiered in the United States on February 9, 2011? Iranium is a film that was produced by Raphael Shore, directed by Alex Traiman, and edited by Micah Smith. What it does is examine Iran’s move toward nuclear weapons and from the reports I have read, it portrays the country in a fairly bad light. You can imagine what Iran’s reaction has been, they have obviously been unhappy with the film. The latest news makes me rather proud of our neighbors to the north.
Iranium was scheduled to be screened at Library and Archives Canada, but the screening was canceled because of threatened violence by protesters. Before we go any further, let’s examine what the movie is about, from National Post.
The hour-long documentary by California filmmaker Raphael Shore takes aim at Iran’s policies, including its pursuit of nuclear weapons and support of terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas, eventually warning viewers that Iran could pose a nuclear threat to the world. The United Nations Security Council has already made four resolutions against Iran on their nuclear arms program, said Professor Houchang Hassan-Yari, who teaches at the Royal Military College of Canada.
Again, you can imagine Iran’s reaction to this film. They filed a formal complaint about the planned screening and after it was turned down, Library and Archives Canada began receiving phone calls and letters, threatening protests and violence, if they proceeded with the screening. It was subsequently canceled because of those threats and when James Moore, Canada’s Heritage Minister found out, he was none to happy.
The Harper government sent a diplomatic note to Iran Wednesday, as Heritage Minister James Moore lashed out at Tehran for its part in a campaign that cancelled the screening of a movie critical of the Iranian regime at Library and Archives Canada.
On Wednesday morning, the Minister instructed Library and Archives Canada to show Iranium, a documentary critiquing Iran’s nuclear program, after it cowed to numerous threats of protest and an official request from the Iranian embassy in Canada to not present the film Tuesday night, as scheduled.
In its diplomatic note to Tehran, the government said Canada is a free country and that freedom of expression is a core value that won’t be compromised.
“This movie will be shown, the agreement will be kept and this movie Iranium will be shown at Library and Archives Canada. We will not be moving it to a different facility, we’re not bending to any pressure,” said Mr. Moore on the CBC’s Power and Politics.
“People need to be kept safe, but we don’t back down to people who try to censor people by threats of violence.”
Me thinks I wouldn’t want to be on Mr. Moore’s bad side. It seems he doesn’t take to kindly to another country trying to dictate what happens in Canada, especially when a tyrannical state such as Iran threatens violence against the citizens of Canada. Presently, the screening has been rescheduled to allow time for Canadian officials to prepare heightened security.
At issue here is if a country, any country is going to bow to Iran’s wishes, just because of the threat of violence. If I may be so blunt, that is exactly what Iran would want Canada to do, but it doesn’t appear that will happen. Again, I am proud of our Canadian neighbors and the stance they are taking against a country who has such radical views on how the world should be. If this stance and the movie Iranium can display Iran to the rest of the world, showing the government for the violent extremists they are, then so much the better.
Good news indeed. I am surprised at Canada willing to do this. They don’t have a great track record regarding free speech,
I was quite pleased to see the news of their reaction to the Iranium incident, if for no other reason than it means someone else is standing up to Iran and it’s threats of violence.
I am happy for Canada. Its swing to liberalism has always been punctuated by short periods of sanity and common sense in the best Anglo-Saxon tradition . It is, however, commendable to see Canada outrank the USA with a 6th place against our 9th place in the index of the most free nations of the world. It is interesting to see that eight out of the top ten most free nations are all members of the British Commonwealth of nations or saw their national birth under the guidance of the best tradition of the British parliamentary system and rule of law. Some how it does not bode well for America having a leadership that is turning its back to that historical foundation. Perhaps it is already reflected in the rapid descent in its ranking. Something to worry about.
Well, every once in a while, they get something right and I think this is one of those times. No one should have to bow to violent extremists and I am glad to see Canada standing up for itself and it’s citizens.
A great find, larry. I agree with John Galt. The Obama administration could learn a thing or two from Mr. Moore.
A shocking display of backbone by the Canadians…
It isn’t often that our neighbors to the north stand up for common sense…
Good for Mr. Moore! It’s about time we told these barbarians to go screw.
Sadly, Mark is right, though…
Just because a few Canadians made a film doesn’t mean all of Canada has changed. I will check the film out however.
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Please do your part to help spread the word. Iranium sounds an alarm that must be heard if we are to prevent the dangers that may result if Iran crosses the nuclear threshold.
Folks reading this blog have Canadians all wrong … Canadians are, and have always been America’s little brother, one tenth the size. In that role, their self-defined historical outlook has always been to be different than their older brother.
Accordingly, to Americans they look ‘liberal’, ‘polite’, ‘quiet’ – every thing America isn’t, but this reinforces their ‘we’re not the US’ self-image.
But when has that little brother ever not come to America’s side when it counts? Though the little brother sees himself as not like his older brother, and though the older brothers sees his little brother doing this, the fact is the brothers ARE brothers, and when the fight comes, they stand together.
Stop buying into Canada’s own self image.