06 February 2008
The Canadian Jewish Congress says it would have preferred if the case of former Saskatchewan Native leader David Ahenakew, who had referred to Jews as a disease, had been appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada. Ahenakew, a former Assembly of First Nations leader, was convicted of wilfully promoting hatred in 2005 over the remarks and fined CAN$ 1,000 (US$ 1,000). The conviction was later overturned by a Saskatchewan appeals court and a re-trial was ordered.
CJC spokesman Jordan Kerbel said while grateful for the retrial decision, the Congress believed that justice would have been served by an appeal to the Supreme Court. Ahenakew's lawyer had earlier called on the prosecutors to drop the case, saying his client had been through enough. However, prosecutors said the case would go back to trial. A spokeswoman said that no date for the trial had been set, but it likely will be held in Saskatoon this year.
The charges arose out of remarks made by Ahenakew at a conference in 2002, as well as comments he made in an interview with a newspaper reporter. In the interview, he said Nazi leader Adolf Hitler came to power to prevent Jews from taking over Europe.
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