Former Native Candian leader David Ahenakew has been found not guilty of inciting hatred for anti-Semitic remarks he made publicly in 2002. However, his opinions and distorted historical facts could "only be viewed with revulsion and disgust by ordinary Canadians," judge Wilfrid Tucker said when delivering his verdict. "That anyone could characterize the murder of millions of innocent human beings as 'getting rid of a disease' or 'trying to clean up the world' is incomprehensible to decent people," Tucker said in Saskatoon provincial court.
The prosecution did not prove Ahenakew intended to promote hatred against people of the Jewish faith in a speech to a health conference of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations or during a subsequent interview with a reporter, Tucker found. "The comments of the accused appear to have been made spontaneously, with little or no prior planning," the judge said.
Commenting on the verdict, the Canadian Jewish Congress expressed hope that Ahenakew "has come to understand the pain he has caused. We urge Mr. Ahenakew to make amends so he can be remembered for healing rather than for hurting".