Government Issues Committee Report; Wed., Aug. 04, 2004

(1) In a Media Release (appended below) dated July 21, 2004, Andrew Telegdi indicated that he would be involved in overseeing a new Citizenship of Canada Act to be presented (presumably) during the fall 2004 parliamentary session. He urged that the various ethnic communities, organizations and individuals, who expressed their concerns with regard to the revocation of citizenship provisions in Bill C-18, write to Paul Martin (with copies to Mr. Telegdi) expressing their views in this area.

MOTION: Zuzak/??? – that UCC-APC write Prime Minister Paul Martin expressing its concerns with regard to the revocation of citizenship provisions in the proposed new Citizenship of Canada Act.

(2) Examinations for Discovery in the Jura Skomatchuk and Josef Furman cases are presumably ongoing at the present time. The Josef Furman case will presumably be coming to Edmonton in late October 2004.

(3) There appear to be no new developments in the Lubomyr Prytulak - CHRC case. In a letter to Paul Martin dated Jul. 12, 2004, Dr. Prytulak asks that the Canadian Human Rights Act be amended.
http://www.willzuzak.ca/lp/martin/martin18.html

Respectfully submitted
Will Zuzak, 2004-08-04
UCCreport20040804.doc

-------------------------------

From: "Telegdi, Andrew - Riding 1A" <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 15:50:59
To:<[email protected]et>
Subject: Media Release

On Monday July 19th, Andrew Telegdi, M.P. for Kitchener-Waterloo, was offered the position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister with special emphasis for Aboriginal Affairs and Science and Technology.

Telegdi, however, who has opposed the unjust nature of the citizenship revocation process for the past six years, stated that a resolution of this issue remains his top priority. "I could only accept the Parliamentary Secretary position to the Prime Minister", he said, "once the citizenship revocation issue is resolved".

The Prime Minister then offered to hold off on the appointment until the government had an opportunity to review its position of the citizenship revocation process. Further, at the end of the review, if Telegdi is in agreement with the government's position on the citizenship revocation process, then Telegdi would either guide the new citizenship revocation legislation through Parliament or accept the position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

Telegdi has consistently argued that the revocation of citizenship should not be entrusted to politicians, not even the federal cabinet, but should be dealt with by the courts, with due process and appeal rights, in compliance with section 7 on legal rights of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Telegdi is excited by the Prime Minister offer as it could bring an early resolution to the citizenship revocation process and free him to work as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister in two vital areas.

For further information, contact:

Deepa Patel, Media Relations  (519)-746-1573