December 19, 1999         Via Fax

Hon. Jean Chretien         (613) 941-6900
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

Hon. Lloyd Axworthy       (613) 996-3443
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Hon. Anne McLellan       (780) 495-2598
Minister of Justice

Hon. Elinor Caplan         (613) 992-0887
Minister of Citizenship & Immigration

Dear Mr. Prime Minister and Ministers of the Crown:

As the war in Chechnya rages on, and as the Russian bear mauls the Chechen people, our membership requests answers to the following questions concerning Canada�s position on this human tragedy:

1. when is the government of Canada going to make a strong, clear and unequivocal statement on that war, condemning the Russian government for its inexcusable, unpardonable, criminal and barbaric actions?

2. when is the government of Canada going to announce its complete withdrawal of all funding currently being directed to the Russian state, so that Canada�s aiding and abetting of the crimes against humanity being perpetrated by the Russian Army will once and for all cease?

3. when is the government of Canada going to effect a policy of refusing all immigration from Russia, in order to insure that Canada does not become a safe haven for Russian war criminals and mass murderers?

Don�t you find it paradoxical that, while your government purports to rid Canada of World War II �war criminals� through its denaturalization and deportation policy, it is at the same time funding, arming and encouraging a regime run by war criminals?

Perhaps your government�s new Crimes Against Humanity Act, (Bill C-19) is a good idea after all -- provided people like you Mr. Prime Minister (plus your five top advisors), along with Mr. Axworthy, Ms. McLellan and Ms. Caplan are placed at the top of the lineup before the International Court, properly charged with �acts or omissions committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, an identifiable group of persons, as such, that at the time and in the place of its commission, constitutes genocide according to customary international law or conventional international law or by virtue of its being criminal according to the general principles of law recognized by the community of nations, whether or not it constitutes a contravention of the law in force at the time and in the place of its commission.� [section 6 (3)]

And so, during this holiday season -- when civilized people celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour -- we sincerely hope that you Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Axworthy, Ms. McLellan and Ms. Caplan are not bothered or inconvenienced by the scenes of Chechnya�s devastation, by the cries of Chechen children, by the tears of Chechen mothers, by the anguish of Chechen elders or by the agony and suffering of a voiceless people calling out to you for justice and self-determination.

Season�s greetings,

Eugene Harasymiw, LL.B.,
President

/eh

cc:
Michael Zaleschuk,
National President,
USRL of Canada