August 19, 2002

Faxed to: (780) 495-4485

James Rajotte, M.P.
Suite 204
596 Riverbend Square
Edmonton, AB
T6R 2E3

Dear James:

Upon my return from vacation late yesterday (which explains why I was unable to attend the important function for Mr. Harper last week), I was pleased to have been copied on your letter to Diane Ablonczy, M.P. dated August 12, 2002.

On behalf of our 1,000 member organization, please accept our thanks for bringing this vital matter to the attention of Ms. Ablonczy, Alliance Senior Critic for Citizenship and Immigration, and for doing so in such a logical and rational manner. We are pleased that there are members like yourself in the Canadian Alliance who take the party's Declaration of Policy (Jan. 29, 2000) seriously, particularly in terms of Policy No. 61 and its preamble, under the heading "Democratic and Governance Themes."

We are also impressed by the initiative taken recently by your colleague, Peter Goldring, on this very issue.

We urge you and your Alliance caucus not to succumb to lobby pressures from groups whose political agenda is clearly at cross-purposes with that of Alliance policies -- an agenda which has nothing to do with achieving justice in this country.

In the meantime, I am continuing my efforts to set up a meeting with Ms. Ablonczy, a task that I have been pursuing since early June, so far to no avail.

We salute you, sir.

Yours truly,

Eugene Harasymiw, LL.B.
Chair
Civil Liberties Standing Committee