Western Guard Party
Encyclopedia
The Western Guard Party was a white supremacist group based in Toronto
, Canada
. It evolved out of the far-right anti-Communist
Edmund Burke Society
that had been founded in 1967 by Don Andrews
, Paul Fromm, Leigh Smith and Al Overfield
.
Andrews became the dominant figure in the EBS, and relaunched it as the Western Guard, narrowing the group's focus to racism, anti-Semitism
and white supremacy. Fromm left the group later in 1972 as the Western Guard descended into violent activity.
In 1975, Andrews was charged with offences ranging from plotting arson, possession of weapons and explosives, and mischief, and was sentenced to two years in jail for conspiring to bomb a visiting Israeli soccer team. In order to fulfill his bail conditions, Andews separated himself from the Western Guard. Veteran fascist
John Ross Taylor
became the group's leader in 1976. Taylor changed the name of the group to Western Guard Party. The group's membership declined under his idiosyncratic leadership. Many members, including Wolfgang Droege
, left to join the Nationalist Party of Canada
which had been founded by Andrews when he was released from prison in 1978.
In 1979, Taylor was charged with hate speech for the Western Guard's telephonic messages and was brought before the Canadian Human Rights Commission
. He was ultimately imprisoned for contempt of court
when he continued the Guard's racist answering machine messages. The group became an essentially one-person party in the 1980s, and was defunct by the middle of the decade.
Despite calling itself a party, the Western Guard never registered as a federal or provincial political party and is not known to have ever nominated candidates for office under its name.
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...
, 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...
. It evolved out of the far-right anti-Communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
Edmund Burke Society
Edmund Burke Society
The Edmund Burke Society was a far right organization formed by Paul Fromm, Don Andrews, Al Overfield and Leigh Smith in 1967 at the University of Toronto. The group was anti-communist and promoted conservative values...
that had been founded in 1967 by Don Andrews
Don Andrews
Donald Clarke Andrews is a Canadian white supremacist. He is also the leader of the neo-Nazi Nationalist Party of Canada and a perennial candidate for mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-Early years:...
, Paul Fromm, Leigh Smith and Al Overfield
Al Overfield
Alan Overfield is a Canadian white supremacist.He was a founding member of the Edmund Burke Society established by Paul Fromm, Don Andrews, and Leigh Smith. He was also part of an attempted takeover by Fromm of the Ontario wing of the national Social Credit Party of Canada...
.
Andrews became the dominant figure in the EBS, and relaunched it as the Western Guard, narrowing the group's focus to racism, anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
and white supremacy. Fromm left the group later in 1972 as the Western Guard descended into violent activity.
In 1975, Andrews was charged with offences ranging from plotting arson, possession of weapons and explosives, and mischief, and was sentenced to two years in jail for conspiring to bomb a visiting Israeli soccer team. In order to fulfill his bail conditions, Andews separated himself from the Western Guard. Veteran fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
John Ross Taylor
John Ross Taylor
John Ross Taylor was a Canadian fascist political activist and party leader prominent in white nationalist circles....
became the group's leader in 1976. Taylor changed the name of the group to Western Guard Party. The group's membership declined under his idiosyncratic leadership. Many members, including Wolfgang Droege
Wolfgang Droege
Wolfgang Walter Droege was a Canadian white supremacist, neo-Nazi and founding leader of the Heritage Front.-Early life:...
, left to join the Nationalist Party of Canada
Nationalist Party of Canada
The Nationalist Party of Canada is an unregistered Canadian political party that was founded in 1977 by Don Andrews , who continues as leader of the party...
which had been founded by Andrews when he was released from prison in 1978.
In 1979, Taylor was charged with hate speech for the Western Guard's telephonic messages and was brought before the Canadian Human Rights Commission
Canadian Human Rights Commission
The Canadian Human Rights Commission is a quasi-judicial body that was established in 1977 by the government of Canada. It is empowered under the Canadian Human Rights Act to investigate and try to settle complaints of discrimination in employment and in the provision of services within federal...
. He was ultimately imprisoned for contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
when he continued the Guard's racist answering machine messages. The group became an essentially one-person party in the 1980s, and was defunct by the middle of the decade.
Despite calling itself a party, the Western Guard never registered as a federal or provincial political party and is not known to have ever nominated candidates for office under its name.
See also
- Fascism in CanadaFascism in CanadaFascism in Canada consisted of a variety of movements and political parties in Canada during the twentieth century. Largely a fringe ideology, fascism has never commanded a large following amongst the Canadian people, and was most popular during the Great Depression...
- James Alexander McQuirterJames Alexander McQuirterJames Alexander McQuirter was the Grand Wizard on the Canadian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1980s...
- List of white nationalist organizations