Liberal circles in this country expressed surprise and consternation on hearing today of the announcement by Herve Ferland, the labor party mayor of Verdun, to the effect that he has invited the Fascist “troops” of this city to hold their Confederation Day parade in his town on July 1. The parade was officially banned by the city officials of Montreal.
The official uniform of the Canadian Fascist organization is a brown shirt, brown cap and black visor for the men, and a brown beret for the women. Anti-Semitism is one of the tenets held by the organization.
The recently-elected mayor of Verdun has announced his intentions of throwing the streets of his town wide open for the Fascists. Moreover, he has declared his willingness personally to canvass Verdun merchants to subscribe for floats.
The surprise here at Mayor Ferland’s actions is due to the fact that his election to office was supported by the Canadian Commonwealth Federation, affiliated with the labor party. This week laborites here are sponsoring a big mass meeting against fascism in Canada and to protest at Hitlerism and anti-Semitism in Germany. Prominent labor leaders will address the gathering.
From reliable sources it is learned that the membership rolls of the Fascist Federation of Labor Clubs of Quebec Province now carry 75,000 names. These members are divided among 76 clubs. There is a women’s auxiliary of 41 clubs with a membership of 42,000 persons. It is asserted in some sources that there is a semi-militaristic organization within the federation, composed of more than 2,000 “troops.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
