Ahenakew Hearing Ends With Confrontation

Ahenakew Hearing Ends With Confrontation

Friday, June 22, 2007 at 15:36

 

 

A former head of the Assembly of First Nations got into a shouting match with reporters on the steps of the Regina courthouse yesterday.

 

David Ahenakew said the hate-crime proceedings against him are a farce and a waste of money.

 

Ahenakew railed against injustices done to First Nations people and complained about how the controversy surrounding his comments has caused him to be shunned by his community.

 

Ahenakew said he’s worried about what media coverage of this case has done to the relationship First Nations have with the rest of the country.

 

Former Aboriginal leader and Ahenakew supporter Jim Sinclair said Ahenakew is not the one who should be on trial.

 

Sinclair said it was the residential schools that preached hatred against the Jews and they should be on trial instead of Ahenakew.

 

Ahenakew was convicted of wilfully promoting hatred for his comments about the Jews, but that decision was overturned last summer.

 

Saskatchewan’s top court has reserved decision on an appeal by the Crown.

 

(courtesy of The Canadian Press)