NOTE 1: italicized text in bold is a LINK to supporting material.
NOTE 2, 2021: I deliberately focused on “MY” experience. I did tell that (the young woman) was forced by concerns for her personal safety, arising from the cyber-bullying, to leave Saskatoon. She moved to another province.
I did not tell of the woman who underwent assaults by the cyber-bully, simply because she has a connection to me. The assaults became lies emailed to her long-time employer, to the point of a disciplinary hearing against her. She was cleared of any wrong-doing. But the cyber-bully continued his work with impunity, and in spite of complaints filed with the Police.
People, friends, with known connections to me changed their behaviors, out of fear they would be added to the list the cyber-bully would attack.
The number of known complaints filed with the Police is documented. But nothing happened. The family of the woman subjected to a work-place disciplinary hearing became very fearful, rightfully so, not knowing what form the attacks of the cyber-bully might next take. How far would he go? I started wondering the same after he tracked me down at 6:00 AM in a line-up to get on an airline flight I had booked (Christmas holidays with family).
IF YOU LIVE IN THE SAME COMMUNITY as the cyber-bully, the experience of the disciplinary-hearing woman, of the (young woman) and another victim whose experience I know: stalking, assaults on neighbours – – various intimidation tactics to instill fear are used. Actions are not confined to “Cyber” bullying.
The cyber-bully acts with impunity. The Police and Justice systems are completely ineffective in dealing with them, in my experience.
I was advised, seriously, and more than once: hire someone to break his knee caps. It’s not hard to do. It will cost you 1/26th of what it cost to use the Justice System, for which you have nothing to show, no results, only the bills you paid.
NOTE 3, 2021: I changed some “published-on” dates of postings, in order to bring summary postings to the fore. This posting has a published-on date in 2012. It was obviously published at a later time.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
THE STORY
Long and short of it:
– In early December 2013 I received and forwarded a complaint by (a 26-year-old woman) to the Green Party of Canada about Ashu Solo.
– Ashu began attacks on me (harassment) by December 10th.
– When it began looking as though he might never stop and I might need proof in future, I began posting under password protection, using titles that disguised the content (e.g.”listin”, “cr o”, “1920”). The documentation began as a catalogue of his emails. (need the password to access) I started posting shortly before Christmas. (I routinely use my blog for organizing and keeping track of material I may need in future that will otherwise be lost in my inbox.)
– Ashu’s activity continued, I kept adding to the documentation.
– I stopped posting material sometime in February. His actions, not detailed here, became more egregious.
– In May – June, Ashu brought ten complaints about me to the Green Party of Canada (GPC) in an attempt to have my membership revoked. The complaints were being investigated by the GPC. I viewed it that Ashu has a right to see the documentation I would use in my defence. Password protection was removed on June 20th, 2014 to permit access. The postings remained obscure under the categories X1 and X1A and under titles that did not reflect the nature of the postings.
– On July 28, 2014 I finally filed complaint with the RCMP. Ashu was harassing not only me, but GPC officials and people from both Ottawa and Saskatoon with his streams of accusatory and bullying emails.
– Ashu went after my blog hosting service and domain name registrar in efforts to take down my blog. He used his usual tactics against them.
– Ashu brought charges against me for defamation.
– I re-instated password protection on the X1 and X1A postings as an act of good faith working within the Justice system. The page you are now reading was under password protection until recently, either Dec 2020, or in 2021.
NOTE: Postings that are under password in the following are identified so you don’t waste time going to them.)
– – – – – – – – – – –
BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE STORY, AN ASIDE RELATED TO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
In March 2016 I spoke with the Law Society about application of the Code of Ethics for Lawyers in situations where it appears that the threat of taking a person to court is used to intimidate and coerce. The Code is not designed to accommodate it, as far as I can see.
Ontario developed legislation to deal with SLAPP suits (Oct 2015). I would guess that the legislation contemplates corporate use of SLAPP; it might not contemplate the same tactics when used by individuals. (SLAPP = Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation)
UPDATE 1: The Ontario SLAPP legislation was used successfully in 2017.
https://sandrafinley.ca/blog/?p=19715
2017-07-28 How an Ontario mom fended off a $120K libel lawsuit over her Facebook posts, CBC
EXCERPT:
Dismissed under anti-SLAPP laws
. . . Mohammed said she couldn’t afford to fight a lawsuit . . .
“Oh my goodness, I was terrified,” she said. “Where am I going to get this money from? Am I going to have to sell my family home to do this? And what about my kids’ education funds?”
She also feared the lawsuit would affect her job as a teacher, if people found out.
“What is the community going to think about this and what are they going to think about me?”
The community, however, had Mohammed’s back. In fact, the mayor called her this week to give her the good news that the lawsuit had been thrown out.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Thomas Lederer ruled in Mohammed’s favour, citing the province’s “strategic lawsuits against public participation” rules or anti-SLAPP measures.
The provincial rules came into effect in October 2015 and are designed to protect ordinary citizens from being silenced on issues of public interest by lawsuits from big companies.
“If this action is allowed to proceed, there is no way of knowing how many people interested in this issue, or for that matter any other public concern, will feel intimidated and not take part for fear of being subject to a similar lawsuit,” the judge wrote.
What’s more, he awarded Mohammed $7,500 in damages, to be paid by United Soils, writing: “I accept that this action unnecessarily caused Katie Mohammed stress that affected her day to day life.” . . .
“Now that I have the ruling, I feel a lot more confident and I feel that free speech as been protected,” Mohammed said.
“If it hadn’t been for the SLAPP laws, then I don’t know where I would be financially, trying to fight this in the courts.”
UPDATE 2:
2022-08-09 B.C.
Legislation to address SLAPP-like behaviors might also be helpful for addressing the void that exists around cyberbullying. A number of entities are working on ways for our society to address cyberbullying.
I will try to continue the conversation with the Law Society and initiate one with Sask Justice to effect legislation in Sask. And will provide input to a couple of the entities that are working on legislation on cyberbullying.
(UPDATE: Feb 2021 – I eventually stopped working on it; it was futile. I carried the belief that one day, opportunity would arise.)
It is important to find ways to deal with cyberbullying. Alternatively, people will find their own means. Those means will be outside the Justice System; they will involve violence. Civil litigation is completely ineffective in this realm. “Peace, order and good governance” are NOT POSSIBLE without the means for citizens to protect themselves against forms of violence.
Civil litigation is for the wealthy and a few people like myself who believe that Charter Rights have to be defended at all costs. In my personal and direct experience, the Government and the Justice System WILL NOT do this for citizens.
We must stand in solidarity with others who have defended the right to free speech (Constitutional Rights), and to (critical) privacy of personal information. Those others have been stoic and brave defenders at huge personal cost, and with their lives and the lives of their family members at risk.
Reference publication of the “Satanic Verses” in 1989 by Salman Rushdie. The Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa ordering Muslims to kill Rushdie. “Joseph Anton: A Memoir” by Rushdie documents the refusal of himself, a handful of publishers and a few others to bow to the fear instilled by the fatwa.
Their sole motivation was their understanding of the tenets for democracy. With responsibilities, yes, but not to be abandoned out of fear. Not even out of reasonable fear for your life. It is a remarkable story of bravery and determination.
BACK TO THE STORY
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS:
Ashu Solo wanted to run as a candidate for public office. There is a vetting process. What was found (need the password to access) was troubling, but needed more work. September, it was set aside; parents returned to family matters.
In early December I received a message from (young woman), (need the password to access) very concerned that Ashu Solo was doing serious damage to Green Party support through his use of social media.
I have been active politically. Through the years I have handled complaints when they came my way.
An initial assessment caused me to forward the complaint (#1) (need the password to access), December 8th, to the GPC (Green Party of Canada), and to the GPS (Green Party Saskatchewan). . This was on behalf of (the young woman.
It suggests to me that this is a serious allegation, demanding of our attention and speedy resolution.
The Ethics Committee in Ottawa would receive the complaint and advise Ashu Solo of the complaint against him by (young woman). (As it turned out, the GP of Saskatchewan advised Ashu of the complaint, before the GPC had time to respond.)
The complaint procedure would be the best way to ensure that both parties received due process. There would be a fair and just outcome if the complaint was heard by people who are arms’ length from the people involved.
(The young woman) prepared her material.
Ashu Solo discontinued his membership (need the password to access) in the GPC (scroll down to the last one in the email thread).
Ashu then began an assault by email on me (need the password to access) because I forwarded the complaint. The assault began on December 10th, continued through the Christmas season, into January, February and beyond.
He created an illusion of “harassment” attacks on him, by me.
In fact, I did not respond even once to an email or facebook message from him. A glance through the more-than-a-hundred emails sent by Ashu leaves the impression of a raging duel. In fact, the emails are a one-sided barrage from one person (him), for the most part.
Ashu had one in-person encounter with me: He tracked me down at the Saskatoon Airport at 6:00 – 6:30 AM on December 28th. I had moved, and was returning to BC from Saskatoon after Christmas celebrations with my family. He had wakened people whose surname was also “Finley”, at 5:00 – 5:30 AM to obtain two things. He wanted my phone number; unsuccessful, but he got my elderly Mother’s phone number. He wanted flight departure time (he was successful in that endeavor). And showed up at the Airport (for more, see in-person encounter).
Subsequently, on January 9th I forwarded Complaint #2 (need the password to access) to the GPC and to the GPS, this time my own complaint. I included an excerpt from the John Gormley email thread. (John Gormley, Saskatoon Talk Show host email to Ashu Solo.)
WHY would Ashu Solo go after me this way, eventually taking the taunts, lies and threats to the point of tracking me down at the Airport? . . . I think there is a reason. (need the password to access)
The lies, name-calling, taunting and threats by Ashu against me use the same language and tactics as he uses against others.
My firsthand experience removes doubt I might have had about the legitimacy of the descriptions by others about the actions of Ashu Solo. It’s as though he leaves visible finger prints on his actions.
THE EMAILS SENT TO ME BY ASHU SOLO (need the password to access)
I have originals (directly copied at the above link), should anyone wish access. Passwords are required.
I would like to be done with Ashu Solo; I want to get on with productive work. Perhaps this documentation will be helpful to other people who might similarly come under attack by Ashu. It may save them time and frustration.
I have concluded that our help comes from each other. Do not expect help otherwise.
ASHU SOLO
THE CREATION OF ILLUSION (“HOW” he does it)
Ashu creates the illusion that HE is under attack, being “harassed”, “bullied”, “smeared” and “lied about”. And YOU are the one doing it.
HOW? (based on approximately 100 emails he sent about me) (need the password to access)
He:
- uses Facebook, twitter, and/or email
- to address a very small audience
- delivers a large volume of messages to those people, saying repeatedly that YOU are “harrassing, bullying, smearing, lying about” HIM
- he tries very hard to draw you into the fray
That is all that it takes to create the illusion that there is a duel going on between you and him.
Whether you are drawn in, or not, HE does to you what he says YOU are doing to him. That is pretty clear if you go through the 100 emails.
In my particular case, during the time in question, I did not send even one message to Ashu Solo. I spoke to him once, when he tracked me down at the Airport at 6:00AM on December 28, 2013.
EVEN IN HIS BULLYING TACTICS, ASHU USES ILLUSION
It was pointed out to me, “He is litigious” (he will sue you, take you to Court).
People back down because they don’t want to be, cannot afford the time and money to be in Court. It will break them financially.
Ashu tries to create the illusion that he knows a lot about the law, quoting a chapter and verse. He talks about the people that his lawyers in the U.S. are taking to court because they claimed that his conference(s) posted on the internet are not real. But they paid a fee to attend, before they discovered the scam.
In my case he emailed a “demand letter” to me on December 18th. At the end of December he laid a complaint with the Saskatoon Police against me. He emailed:
I am preparing civil claims for $1 million against and you. Don’t think that you can get away with making libelous statements against me because I’m not a lawyer. I’m smarter than any lawyer. When I get a judgment against you in court, the deputy sheriff will seize any assets and property that you own. Cease and desist lying about me or it will increase the amount of judgment that I get against you.
In today’s world “the mafia” uses the threat of taking you to Court to silence you. Ashu creates the illusion that he has power – he can bring the force of the law against you.
Gormley called him on it:
I am tiring of your incessant bullying of anyone with whom you disagree, from your misunderstanding of civil litigation to even trying to intimidate me with your fictional story about Zellers.
Ashu is not “litigious”. What he does is called bullying. He is trying to intimidate you, by creating the illusion that he has power that he doesn’t actually have. He uses “litigation” for the purposes of extortion, because he CAN. Because of the way the system works. He knows how to do it, by simultaneously bringing charges against (in my case) my blog hosting service. And then offering to settle with them at a high price, which lawyers will recommend to their business clients to accept: the cost of them defending against defamation is guaranteed to be thousands of dollars higher, the cyber-bully will not be able to pay a judgment in your favour. Plus, the amount of any judgment in a defamation case will be very small.
In Saskatchewan, there is mandatory mediation, with attending lawyer bills. If I tell you that in mediation Ashu Solo lunged across the table at me, in front of adult witnesses including 2 lawyers and a business man, calling me a fucking bitch amongst other niceties, I am breaking the law. It is illegal to disclose what happens in the mediation process. Ashu Solo knows I am silenced by the laws that surround Mediation. Of course, I had an option to “continue the fight”, to argue the grounds for proceeding from mediation to an actual trial. I had already spent $26,000 in my defence because of the ways in which legal procedure can be manipulated, and mountains of time that included self-representation at some junctures. I had not yet set foot inside a court room. I learned what I need to know. I don’t need more.
BEFORE PROCEEDING, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR:
This is my own initiative, arising out of my personal experience with Ashu Solo. It reflects my personal views.
The GPC (Green Party of Canada), GPS (Green Party of Saskatchewan) and the Saskatoon-Humboldt EDA Executive are not party to this and have not been asked to endorse what I have written.
WHY DOCUMENT MY EXPERIENCE WITH ASHU? (the 100+ emails from him) (need the password to access)
I and a couple others spent a lot of time researching Ashu Solo, as part of the vetting process for a person who seeks to run for public office. (need the password to access)
It was later discovered that other people (e.g. the young woman, John Gormley) had done the same thing, but for different reasons.
That was actually helpful. When researchers, independent of each other arrive at near-same conclusions, there is better confidence in the results.
The next step is to share the information; it is not necessary for others to re-invent the wheel. They may want to add to the wheel.
HOW WILL YOU BENEFIT FROM THIS STORY?
– You’ll learn a bit about real, live cyber-bullying.
– You will also benefit if more people say, “Hey, the world has changed. Together, we need to figure out how to deal with the Ashu Solo’s of the world. (Cyber-bullying)”. Not just from our own perspective, but from Ashu Solo’s perspective, too. He is denying himself the richness of life.
OTHER REASONS FOR MAKING THE INFORMATION ABOUT ASHU SOLO ACCESSIBLE:
1. The Police are hard pressed to protect people from him. (need the password to access)
Which is a pretty drastic statement. I’d better be able to defend it.
I can, from first-hand experience. With solid documentation. Reinforced by the experience of others who have also been attacked by Ashu Solo (e.g. (young woman) , John Gormley).
The evidence (generated by Ashu himself) speaks for itself.
-
- The approximately 100 emails is a listing of emails sent by Ashu Solo about me (allegations, threats and lies). (need the password to access)
You may want to skim some of the torrent.
Or, just cut to the nub of it: Here’s what to expect if Ashu Solo attacks you (excerpts from my experience). (need the password to access)
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
As mentioned, Gormley is a Saskatoon Radio Talk Show Host, and lawyer by training.
A short exchange, about a dozen emails, distills how Solo operates.
But then the hammer comes down. John Gormley makes it clear to Ashu Solo that he will take it to the airwaves if he hears of “one more incident“. Gormley mentions (the young woman) and “two other women“.
Gormley stopped Solo temporarily.
-
- (THE YOUNG WOMAN’S STORY
http://tzmaxx.wordpress.com/ (UPDATE: Ashu’s attacks on (the young woman) eventually forced her off facebook. He put up two more disparaging blogs about her. I just checked: her own blog has been taken down.)
(At the time of writing in about January 2014 the following is true. It is now 2022, 9 years later and I am fractionally closer to defending myself in front of a judge.)
Keep in mind that Ashu Solo is a 42-year old man.
(The young woman) is 26 years old.
My experience is SMALL POTATOES in comparison to Ashu Solo’s more-than-a-year-long assault on (the young woman), using facebook and blogs. The blogs appropriated her name, and affected her ability to obtain employment. Appeals to WordPress and to Google (I forget the hosting service of another disparaging blog he put up about her) are a waste of time. A court decision is required. (How many dollars and years later. . .?)
(Note to self: add the links to screen captures of the disparaging blogs against (young woman) put up by Ashu Solo, here. With the information to support that it is Ashu who put them up. UPDATE 2021: I am not certain I still have the links.)
So there you have the evidence of what Ashu Solo is doing.
I have spoken at length with the Saskatoon Police. They express difficulties around determining what is real and what is not. (It might not be Ashu Solo, but someone who is using his name?) Or, do they know that the Courts are a bust on this issue?)
The alternative to the Police, then, is to make the information available so that people in the community have at least this tool to defend themselves against him, if they go searching.
OTHER REASONS FOR MAKING THE INFORMATION ABOUT ASHU SOLO ACCESSIBLE .. (continuing):
2. Why bother with Ashu Solo? Why is it important? (need the password to access)
Speaks to What I Want for the community: people should not have to live in fear of what Ashu Solo may, or may not, do to them.
Also to the need for communities to protect themselves (Women Who Run With the Wolves)
3. Ashu Solo may someday benefit by this effort, himself.
4. We can all help to create a better world.
Especially when we are well networked, sharing, supporting goodness.
But it is also mandatory to deal with the problems, both for the individual and the society. The society becomes robust and healthy to the extent that its individual members are healthy.
5. First they came …
It seems to me that this is the same theme as “First they came … ” BUT! at the community level. Ashu Solo went after (the young woman) . . . others, me, and the list just kept growing. A society needs to STOP such behaviour, not just step aside if it’s not YOURSELF that is affected.
Eventually, the wholesomeness of the community is affected. People become pitted, one against the other. The community is headed in a direction opposite to what is desirable.
(First they came is the famous statement and provocative poem attributed to pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the cowardice of German intellectuals following the Nazis’ rise to power . . . (more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_… ))
AM I WRONG? AM I MAKING A COLOSSAL MISTAKE?
People who are under “cyber attack” do what you’d expect: they start looking for information. They find what I found. The details are below.
I have confidence in the recording of the background information. A few people have independently found the same material which has raised the same doubts.
BUT ALSO: if you get in the cross-hairs of this fellow, he will HIMSELF send you lots of proof. He manufactures lies faster than you can say “the big lie of Hitler”.
Any doubt I might have had
that I and others
are wrong
that his business, academic and conference claims are dubious (need the password to access)
went out the window
when I directly experienced
his lies (the approximately 100 emails)
LOOK AND YOU WILL FIND
Background Information, Ashu Solo
People usually start their research with “Who is this guy“?
Name changes
IMPORTANT:
It is not true, as Ashu claims, that there are “millions” of people out to get him, and that knowledge of his family name puts his family at risk.
He changed his name in 1999, long before any of this started. He did not change his name to protect his family from the “millions” out to get him.
It is he, himself – HIS actions that put his family’s reputation at risk.
TO THE CREDIT OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ASSAULTED BY ASHU SOLO:
I have not heard them say: But look at what Solo is doing to MY family and MY reputation.
-
- What does he do for a living? (need the password to access) Ashu Solo says he is an engineer. He has published research papers. The number jumps around. 450. 483. 350. More than 500. He (claims that he has) organized something around a hundred academic conferences, or “191”. His company is Maverick Technologies, he is a principal at Trailblazer Systems and Solo Research Labs. CROCELS. He gives titles for positions he has held in the military. But go to What does he do for a living?
- By self-description, Ashu says he is an Unemployed activist (need the password to access)
LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
This is a real-life story. We, as a community, need to figure out how to deal with the personality that is destructive to the community.
The technium has dramatically evolved.
(“The technium” is the umbrella word for all our various technologies, from ones used in communication e.g. the internet, to agriculture to fire-fighting to straightening hair to education – you name it.)
The rapid changes in the technium mean that strategies employed by communities in the past don’t necessarily work in the changed world.
And the flip-side: developments in medical technology (neuro science) point to a light in the darkness. The light will be better than the past. The source of the destructive motivation can be addressed, and not by using a lobotomy, or drugs, or setting the person adrift on an ice floe!
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT CYBER-BULLYING?
