December 10, 2003
Book and Periodical Council Joins Call for Stephen Williams Inquiry
The Book and Periodical Council (BPC) has joined The Writers' Union of Canada and PEN Canada in condemning recent police actions against crime writer Stephen Williams. In a letter to Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant, the BPC has expressed its concern over the number of charges brought against Mr. Williams and the seizure of Marsha Boulton's computer and files. Williams is the author of Invisible Darkness, Karla: A Pact with the Devil and a website which deal with the police investigation of the crimes committed by Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka.
Police raided the rural home of Williams and Marsha Boulton in the early hours of a Sunday morning and subsequently charged him with 94 counts of violations of court orders and publication bans. The Ontario Attorney General's office then took the unusual action of filing a civil suit against both Mr. Williams and Ms. Boulton. Police have further warned the publisher of Mr. Williams' Invisible Darkness, McArthur & Company, that the book may contain illegal passages, although they have not identified what those passages are.
"These actions send a very chilling message to writers who may express criticism of police actions and Ontario's justice system," said BPC Chair Mike Collinge. "We share the opinion of the several other organizations and newspaper columnists who believe that the number of charges against Mr. Williams is an over-reaction. We also call for the immediate return of Marsha Boulton's computer and files."
The BPC represents 27 associations involved in the writing and editing, publishing and manufacturing, distribution, selling and lending of books and magazines in Canada. Member organizations represent more than 11,000 individuals, institutions and firms. The Freedom of Expression Committee, established in 1978, monitors threats to intellectual freedom in Canada.
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