Ahenakew attacks Canadian Jewish Congress after being convicted for spreading hate

The Canadian Native leader David Ahenakew has lashed out at the Jewish community, the courts and the media again, shortly after being convicted and fined for promoting hatred. Ahenakew said he was convinced authorities decided to strip him of the Order of Canada before the court reached its verdict. "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 at a news conference. "If I'm forced to choose between freedom of speech and the Order of Canada, I chose free speech.'' Ahenakew, 71, was found guilty of willfully promoting hatred when he referred to Jews as "a disease'' and justified the Holocaust in December 2002, a judge ruled on Friday. Afterwards, the Governor General's office stripped him of his membership in the Order of Canada.