D
David_Paul
Guest
CNEWS/CANOE
By TIM COOK
SASKATOON (CP) - A defiant David Ahenakew lashed out at the Jewish community, the courts and the media Friday after being convicted and fined for promoting hatred.
With his family members behind him at a news conference he called following the verdict, the former First Nations leader complained bitterly about the fairness of his trial and a campaign he said Jewish groups waged to have him removed from the Order of Canada.
“This, of course, was the direct result of the pressure put on the (Governor General’s) advisory committee by some of the Jewish community, including a letter-writing campaign and the lobbying by the Canadian Jewish Congress,” he said.
“My conviction says the power of this country lies with those who have the funds to back their lobbies and the corporate and financial influence to bend the Canadian judicial system and the government at their will.”
Ahenakew also criticized the courts.
“First Nations people have never received a fair trial in Canada’s judicial system since the first so-called settlers arrived here more than 400 years ago,” he said.
“The jails of our country are full of our people. My case was as much about racism against First Nations as it was about alleged racism against the Jewish community.”
Ahenakew, 71, was found guilty of wilfully promoting hatred when he referred to Jews as “a disease” and justified the Holocaust in a December 2002 interview.
Provincial court Judge Marty Irwin handed down the decision earlier in the day in a tiny courtroom packed with Ahenakew’s supporters, members of the Jewish community and reporters. He then imposed a $1,000 fine.
Irwin said calling any group of people a disease serves only to dehumanize them, and to deny them basic respect and dignity.
“To suggest that any human being or group of human beings are a disease is to invite extremists to take action against them and to give a justification for violence against them.”
Ahenakew said he would appeal the conviction, but not his removal from the Order of Canada.
Earlier this month, he was sent a letter by the Governor General’s office saying the process to revoking his Order had begun and he had until Saturday to contest the move.
“Accepting the Order of Canada comes with no injunction against free speech,” Ahenakew said. “I am now forced to choose between freedom of speech and the Order of Canada. I choose free speech.”
Jewish groups were happy with Ahenakew’s conviction.
“His comments were extreme and they were public and that was proven in court today,” said Wendy Lampert, a spokeswoman with the Canadian Jewish Congress.
But there was outrage over his comments following the verdict.
“For Mr. Ahenakew to make these kinds of statements and . . . turn it back on a community that has such shared values and similar history is really disappointing and shocking and hurtful,” Lampert said.
Holocaust survivor Miklos Kanitz followed the trial and was glad to see it end.
“I’m relieved that it’s over,” Kanitz said. “I think the biggest price that he has paid . . . (is) he lost the respect of his own people.”
Chief Alphonse Bird of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations said in a news release that there has been no change in a previous decision to remove Ahenakew from all FSIN boards, commissions and institutions.
“It has been difficult for First Nations people in Saskatchewan to experience this incident,” Bird said. “We hope there can now be a reconciliation of the harm that was caused by former senator Ahenakew to the Jewish community.”
The trial lasted for four days in April and was coloured by an overriding tension between Ahenakew’s supporters and Jewish groups.
At one point Chief Terrance Nelson of the Roseau River First Nation in Manitoba warned that tensions between aboriginals and Jewish people could rise if Ahenakew were convicted, and that punishing him would make him a martyr.
On Friday, Nelson said it’s now up to Jewish organizations to stand up for his people’s human rights.
“The shoe is now on the other foot,” he said. “The Jewish people have to be very visibly seen as condemning anybody that promotes hatred toward indigenous people.”
Court heard how Ahenakew, the one-time head of the Assembly of First Nations, made a fiery speech to the FSIN on Dec. 13, 2002, in which he said the Jews started the Second World War . .continued
By TIM COOK
SASKATOON (CP) - A defiant David Ahenakew lashed out at the Jewish community, the courts and the media Friday after being convicted and fined for promoting hatred.
With his family members behind him at a news conference he called following the verdict, the former First Nations leader complained bitterly about the fairness of his trial and a campaign he said Jewish groups waged to have him removed from the Order of Canada.
“This, of course, was the direct result of the pressure put on the (Governor General’s) advisory committee by some of the Jewish community, including a letter-writing campaign and the lobbying by the Canadian Jewish Congress,” he said.
“My conviction says the power of this country lies with those who have the funds to back their lobbies and the corporate and financial influence to bend the Canadian judicial system and the government at their will.”
Ahenakew also criticized the courts.
“First Nations people have never received a fair trial in Canada’s judicial system since the first so-called settlers arrived here more than 400 years ago,” he said.
“The jails of our country are full of our people. My case was as much about racism against First Nations as it was about alleged racism against the Jewish community.”
Ahenakew, 71, was found guilty of wilfully promoting hatred when he referred to Jews as “a disease” and justified the Holocaust in a December 2002 interview.
Provincial court Judge Marty Irwin handed down the decision earlier in the day in a tiny courtroom packed with Ahenakew’s supporters, members of the Jewish community and reporters. He then imposed a $1,000 fine.
Irwin said calling any group of people a disease serves only to dehumanize them, and to deny them basic respect and dignity.
“To suggest that any human being or group of human beings are a disease is to invite extremists to take action against them and to give a justification for violence against them.”
Ahenakew said he would appeal the conviction, but not his removal from the Order of Canada.
Earlier this month, he was sent a letter by the Governor General’s office saying the process to revoking his Order had begun and he had until Saturday to contest the move.
“Accepting the Order of Canada comes with no injunction against free speech,” Ahenakew said. “I am now forced to choose between freedom of speech and the Order of Canada. I choose free speech.”
Jewish groups were happy with Ahenakew’s conviction.
“His comments were extreme and they were public and that was proven in court today,” said Wendy Lampert, a spokeswoman with the Canadian Jewish Congress.
But there was outrage over his comments following the verdict.
“For Mr. Ahenakew to make these kinds of statements and . . . turn it back on a community that has such shared values and similar history is really disappointing and shocking and hurtful,” Lampert said.
Holocaust survivor Miklos Kanitz followed the trial and was glad to see it end.
“I’m relieved that it’s over,” Kanitz said. “I think the biggest price that he has paid . . . (is) he lost the respect of his own people.”
Chief Alphonse Bird of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations said in a news release that there has been no change in a previous decision to remove Ahenakew from all FSIN boards, commissions and institutions.
“It has been difficult for First Nations people in Saskatchewan to experience this incident,” Bird said. “We hope there can now be a reconciliation of the harm that was caused by former senator Ahenakew to the Jewish community.”
The trial lasted for four days in April and was coloured by an overriding tension between Ahenakew’s supporters and Jewish groups.
At one point Chief Terrance Nelson of the Roseau River First Nation in Manitoba warned that tensions between aboriginals and Jewish people could rise if Ahenakew were convicted, and that punishing him would make him a martyr.
On Friday, Nelson said it’s now up to Jewish organizations to stand up for his people’s human rights.
“The shoe is now on the other foot,” he said. “The Jewish people have to be very visibly seen as condemning anybody that promotes hatred toward indigenous people.”
Court heard how Ahenakew, the one-time head of the Assembly of First Nations, made a fiery speech to the FSIN on Dec. 13, 2002, in which he said the Jews started the Second World War . .continued