David Ahenakew acquitted of wilfully promoting hate

A Saskatoon judge has acquitted David Ahenakew Monday on a charge of promoting hatred against Jews, but denounced comments the former aboriginal leader made in a speech and subsequent interview six years ago.

Ahenakew, the former head of the Assembly of First Nations, was charged after making inflammatory comments during a 2002 speech and interview with a journalist.

In his comments, the 75-year-old blamed Jews for the Second World War, called them a "disease" and seemed to justify the Holocaust.

However, provincial court Judge Wilfred Tucker said in his judgment that although the comments were "revolting, disgusting and untrue," it didn't appear to him that Ahenakew intended to promote hatred.

After hearing the verdict, Ahenakew hugged his daughter and told reporters outside court: "I'm glad it's over."

This was the second time that Ahenakew stood trial on the charge. He was found guilty at his first trial and ordered to pay a fine of $1,000. However, he appealed his conviction, which was overturned, and a new trial was ordered.

During the second trial, Ahenakew testified that he does not hate Jews but 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 controversy all began in December 2002, when Ahenakew gave a speech in Saskatoon during a health conference held by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.

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

"How do you get rid of a disease like that, that's going to take over, that's going to dominate?" Ahenakew said to the reporter. "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's comments cost him his position as a senator with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, as well as his Order of Canada, which was taken from him following his first conviction.

Ahenakew's defence lawyer, Doug Christie, argued that the case should never have gone to trial.

Christie said his client was simply arguing with the reporter and did not want his comments published.

However, crown prosecutor Sandeep Bains told court that Ahenakew knew he was speaking to a reporter and agreed to be interviewed.

In his ruling, Tucker said he believed that Ahenakew did not intend to promote hate because he had not planned to speak to the reporter about his speech and had tried to end the interview.

Tucker also said he believed the comments Ahenakew made in his speech were not premeditated.

The Crown said it would review the ruling before deciding on whether to launch an appeal of the acquittal.

Officials with the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) said that while they respect the court's decision, Ahenakew's comments caused a great deal of pain to Canada's Jewish community.

"While Mr. Ahenakew has not been convicted, there is no doubt that his words and actions were anti-Semitic and we hope Mr. Ahenakew has come to understand the pain he has caused," CJC co-president Sylvain Abitbol said in a statement. "We urge Mr. Ahenakew to make amends so he can be remembered for healing rather than for hurting."

Senator Mike Duffy's comments 'offend' Danny Williams

It sure didn't take Senator Mike Duffy long to get back into the media spotlight after a lurid turn-of-phrase landed the islander in hot water with two Atlantic Canadian premiers.

Mike Duffy, in his debut speech in the chamber of second sober thought, rallied against the "grotesque scene" of P.E.I. Premier Robert Ghiz joining forces with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams to protest a cap on equalization payment increases in the federal budget.

As a Conservative senator, the topic wasn't unexpected, but Duffy's innuendo-filled description of the alliance raised a number of eyebrows.

"I was disappointed to see that our dynamic young Premier in Prince Edward Island, Robert Ghiz, has climbed into bed with the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and honorable Senators know what a grotesque scene that is,'' Duffy told his new colleagues Tuesday.

"Do honorable Senators know what happens when two politicians climb into bed together? One of them comes out on top and I am afraid that when one is in bed with Danny Williams, he will come out on top and I would hate to see where that will leave P.E.I. in the end."

Duffy, who hails from Charlottetown, made similar comments at a Conservative meeting on P.E.I. last Saturday, using even stronger language.

Both premiers have since spoken out against Duffy's comments. Liberal Senator Claudette Tardif called the comments "sexist."

"Duffy was very much over the top," the colourful Williams said in an interview with CTV Atlantic Thursday. "Duffy is being manipulated and told what to do by the venomous, nasty Harper Conservatives."

"It's a terrible statement, quite frankly."

Williams said he was offended by the statement but added "I don't need an apology. Big boy, thick skin."

Ghiz told P.E.I. newspaper The Guardian that Duffy's comments were disappointing.

"Mike Duffy said he wanted to be a senator from Prince Edward Island. I would hope that he would act like one,'' Ghiz told the paper Wednesday.

On Thursday in the Senate, Duffy said he was withdrawing his metaphor but did not apologize.

"Honourable senators, if the metaphor I used in my speech on Feb. 3 was offensive to some members of this chamber, I withdraw the metaphor," Duffy said a terse statement.

Duffy has previously said he meant his comments to be "humourous."

Duffy, a veteran journalist who worked for CTV and CBC over his career, accepted Prime Minister Stephen Harper's offer to join the Senate in December.