ST. JOHN'S UKRAINIAN INSTITUTE

TO: Cabinet Special Committee of Council
       (via facsimile to all Committee members)

DATE:      June 14, 2002

RE: Wasyl Odynsky

Our organization, founded in 1919, would like to go on record as urging the Special Committee to reject the recommendation of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration concerning the revocation of Mr. Wasyl Odynsky's citizenship.

The Federal Court of Canada has clearly indicated that Mr. Odynsky did not participate in any war crimes during what the presiding Judge referred to as Mr. Odynsky's forced guard duty service. Therefore, to suggest that he lied on his immigration application is a disingenuous way of trying to strip him of his citizenship indirectly, in circumstances where the government cannot find him guilty directly. This process is not consistent with the attributes of a free and democratic society.

Mr. Odynsky must stay; the government's denaturalization and deportation process which visited this abomination on him (and on other victims) must not be allowed to continue.

Yours truly,

Theodore Hawrysh
Past Chairman of the Board