From: "Michael Monastyrskyj" [[email protected]]
To: [[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2001 1:42 AM

Mr. McNally,

My name is Michael Monastyrskyj. I am a Canadian Alliance supporter who lives in Toronto. I have been aware of your work in the House of Commons for a long time. I believe you are one of the Alliance's more effective spokesmen. However, I am writing to express my disappointment in the position you have taken on the Helmut Oberlander case.

It has just come to my attention that on March 2, 2001, you asked the minister of immigration why it has taken more than a year to deport Mr. Oberlander, whom you described three times as a "known war criminal."

http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/025_2001-03-02/han0 25_1130-e.htm

You are mistaken. Mr. Oberlander has not been convicted of any war crimes. Mr. Justice MacKay, who ruled on the Oberlander case, wrote the following "I affirm for the record that no evidence has been presented to this Court about any personal involvement of the respondent in criminal activities or in war crimes."

I would like to recommend an article by Ian Hunter, professor emeritus in the faculty of law at the University of Western Ontario. You've probably read his columns in the National Post and The Report.
http://www.infoukes.com/uccla/issues/warcrimes/i_wrcrms_059.html

Mr. McNally, I strongly believe Helmut Oberlander is the victim of two injustices. First, he was victimized by the Nazis who forced him to act as a translator and now by the Canadian government, which seeks to punish him for being a victim.

I hope you will reconsider your position on this case.

Michael Monastyrskyj