Ukrainian Canadians target justice minister in federal elections

CALGARY - The Ukrainian Canadian community is angered by Justice Minister Anne MacLellan's promotion of a "two-tiered justice" policy toward naturalized Canadian citizens, reminiscent of another injustice in the country's history, noted the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

Ms. MacLellan is up for re-election in the federal elections on November 27.

Delegates from across Canada met in Alberta on the Remembrance Day (November 11) weekend and described the mounting anger felt because of this issue. Speakers underlined that Ms. MacLellan's justice policy treats people who choose to be Canadians in a different way than people who are born Canadian. Specifically, Canadian-born citizens accused of crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and have the right to a criminal trial. Naturalized citizens do not currently have that right. Instead, accusations can be made and the person stripped of his citizenship and deported without ever being given the benefit of a criminal trial.

Delegates at the annual retreat of the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association are currently alerting members of Edmonton's many immigrant communities of Justice Minister MacLellan's continued support of what many regard as an undemocratic targeting of naturalized Canadian citizens. There are over 5 million naturalized Canadians (persons not born in Canada who hold Canadian citizenship) who, under Ms. MacLellan's "two-tiered approach to justice" could be at risk of losing their citizenship without benefit of a trial, the UCCLA explained.

UCCLA Chair John B Gregorovich, said: "That is something we are certain voters will want to keep in mind when they vote in Edmonton on November 27, particularly in the Ukrainian community, which remembers how its members were unjustly imprisoned, disenfranchized and even deported during Canada's first national internment operations."

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, November 19, 2000, No. 47, Vol. LXVIII

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