Ex-First Nations chief acquitted in hate trial (hatred against Jews)

[MikeWB]

Thought control in Canada.

Ex-First Nations chief acquitted in hate trial
By Chris Purdy, THE CANADIAN PRESS


Former aboriginal leader David Ahenakew, left, arrives at court with lawyer Doug Christie, prior to receiving a not guilty verdict in his second hate crime trial in Saskatoon, Sask., Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Howe
SASKATOON - A judge acquitted David Ahenakew on Monday of wilfully promoting hatred against Jews, but not before chiding the former aboriginal leader for his comments.

Provincial court Judge Wilfred Tucker said the remarks made six years ago were "revolting, disgusting and untrue." But Tucker said he didn't believe Ahenakew had the intention of promoting hate when he made them.

The former head of the Assembly of First Nations was charged after a controversial speech and subsequent interview with a reporter more than six years ago. In the interview he called Jews a "disease" and appeared to justify the Holocaust.

It was the second trial for Ahenakew on the charge. He was found guilty the first time and fined $1,000. But the conviction was overturned on appeal and a new trial was ordered.

Ahenakew, now 75, hugged his daughter after the verdict and smiled as he left the courthouse.

"Thank God it's over," he said.

   
He wouldn't discuss whether he's still sorry he made the comments. He said the long legal battle hasn't changed him.

"I'm still the same guy that was born, that served the world, that served the army, that served the people. I'm still that same guy. And I'm too damn old now to change anyways."

Ahenakew testified at his second trial that he doesn't hate Jews but still believes they caused the war.

"Everybody says I'm a Jew-hater," he told court. "I don't hate the Jews, but I hate what they do to people."

The controversial comments that first got him into trouble date back to December 2002, when he delivered a rambling and fiery speech during a health conference organized by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations in Saskatoon.

During the speech, Ahenakew blamed Jews for causing the Second World War. A newspaper reporter later asked him to clarify his comments.

"How do you get rid of a disease like that, that's going to take over, that's going to dominate?" Ahenakew responded. "The Jews damn near owned all of Germany prior to the war. That's how Hitler came in. He was going to make damn sure that the Jews didn't take over Germany or Europe.

"That's why he fried six million of those guys, you know. Jews would have owned the God-damned world."

Ahenakew offered a tearful public apology days later. But amid public outrage, he lost his position as a senator with the Saskatchewan First Nations group.

Following his initial conviction, he was also stripped of his Order of Canada.

Tucker said he couldn't ascribe an ill motive to Ahenakew because he never intended to talk about the subject with the reporter and at one point terminated the interview. The judge also said he believed Ahenakew's use of the Jews as an example in a larger, wider-ranging speech wasn't premeditated.

"I believe that the accused knew the primary theme that he wished to set forth in his speech, but I do not believe that he knew the precise words or examples he would use," said Tucker.

Ahenakew's defence lawyer, Doug Christie, said the Crown wasted time and hundreds of thousands of dollars on a case that never should have gone to trial in the first place.

"It's better that we tolerate diverse and sometimes bad opinions than we take them to court and prosecute them," he said. "People make mistakes when they speak."

Christie had argued that Ahenakew got sucked into an argument with the reporter and did not intend for his spontaneous comments to be published.

The judge addressed that assertion by saying the reporter fully did his job and did not pressure Ahenakew in any way.

"As is often the case, people like the accused, who are happy to have media attention when it suits them, are quick to attack the media and its members when the media attention does not suit them," said Tucker.

Crown prosecutor Sandeep Bains had argued at trial that Ahenakew knew what he was doing and clearly consented to the media interview.

The Crown will review the ruling and decide whether to appeal.

Representatives from Jewish groups said they were happy the judge denounced Ahenakew's comments.

"It's clear, the judge and Canadians understand what he said was horrible, disgusting and anti-Semitic, and he's lost the respect of Canadians because of that," said Wendy Lampert with the Canadian Jewish Congress.