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 Posted Wednesday, February 24, 1999


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Toronto, February 24, 1999

Letters Desk

Letters Page

Inside the Johann Dueck file

Edmonton -- This article by Kirk Makin ranks as one of the boldest and most insightful pieces of journalism of the past decade. Bravo to The Globe.

Terry Beitner of Anne McLellan's War Crimes Unit lamely points out in defence of the denaturalization and deportation policy that "there is no principle in law that requires the government to use criminal law where other principles and remedies can be involved."

That those other principles and remedies take the form of misleading the court, of submitting blatantly falsified evidence, of parading laughable witnesses and then withdrawing the substantive charges that form the crux of the case at the outset of a trial -- all this does not seem to deter Mr. Beitner and Ms. McLellan from savaging their victims' civil liberties and debasing the justice system they are both sworn to uphold.

Eugene Harasymi, LL.B., president, Alberta Ukrainian Self-Reliance League


North Vancouver -- Your excellent article about the injustices done in the name of the so-called Nazi hunt in Canada raises so many questions that it is difficult even to begin listing them. I would like to point out just two: how easily the spineless Canadian government yields to influential pressure groups, spending millions of taxpayer dollars in morally suspect and probably unconstitutional legal ventures; and how hard it is for innocent people to defend themselves against these hysteria-fuelled accusations if they don't have enough money for the exorbitant legal fees. So much for Canada being a free and democratic country.

Mariusz T. Wesolowski


Toronto -- In the case of the persecution of Johann Dueck by the Canadian government, I fail to see the benefits that will accrue to the average Canadian by the expenditure of $47-million of taxpayer funds to deport octogenarians who may have acted badly outside of Canada. Isn't it up to the countries that were involved in the cruelty to take action?

Perhaps you could explain to me how much better off I and other Canadians will be by further taxpayer expenditures on behalf of the Canadian Jewish Congress.

Alex C. Doulis


Calgary -- It's time for members of Parliament to put a stop to these witch hunts. If there is no proof of personal criminality, stop using taxpayers' money for these unproductive fishing expeditions that insult the integrity of the Canadian conscience. Before the War Crimes Unit of the Ministry of Justice announces the next slate of suspects for deportation hearings, insist that they show some form of concrete evidence of personal criminal behaviour that would stand up in a courtroom.

Brian A. C. Conley

Our opinion
 ONCE again: we are tempted to open a dossier for such items, labelled: "The global origins of anti-Semitism."

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