Letter of the Day | Prof. Ed Morgan | The Toronto Sun | May 28, 2001

PETER WORTHINGTON reports ("Diff'rent Strokes," May 17, 2001, Toronto Sun) that the opposition of MP Andrew Telegdi to the possible deportation of Helmut Oberlander resulted in his being wrongly accused of comparing Canada to Nazi Germany.

Telegdi has been outspoken on what he views as the unfair process for revoking Canadian citizenship, which ends in a cabinet decision after a trial in the Federal Court of Canada.

Telegdi was specifically quoted in the Kitchener-Waterloo Record on May 5, 2001 as saying politicians ought not to make decisions on citizenship. He added, "that's what Hitler used to do." The Record had Telegdi reiterating the statement on May 9, 2001, saying leaving the decision in the hands of politicians "smacks of a totalitarian regime" and "that's what Hitler used to do."

Telegdi issued a subsequent clarification to the House of Commons, stating "If my lack of clarity caused hurt or discomfort to them (any group or individual), then I apologize."

Telegdi's meaning, Mr. Worthington, is as clear as day.

Prof. Ed Morgan
Chair
Canadian Jewish Congress
Ontario region

(Denying people the right of appeal smacks of dictatorship and is the sort of thing the Nazis used to do. Obviously, that doesn't mean Canada is a Nazi dictatorship)