PATRON: HIS BEATITUDE METROPOLITAN WASYLY (FEDAK)
                    Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

June 16, 2002

Hon. Don Boudria, and
Members of Special Committee of Council
[faxed as per attached listing]

We understand you are about to consider Minister Coderre's recommendation that Wasyl Odynsky be stripped of his Canadian citizenship.

Speaking for thousands of our members from British Columbia to Quebec, I say unhesitatingly that the denaturalization of Mr. Odynsky would be catastrophic and not without repercussions.

The public is now awakening to the egregious nature of the denaturalization and deportation process, thanks in part to the courageous journalism of people like Kirk Makin, Peter Worthington, Professor Ian Hunter and others. As a result, there is a recognition that your government, in collusion with one lobby group, is foisting this policy on innocent Canadians like Mr. Odynsky, creating a permanent blot on our justice system.

Denaturalization and deportation has absolutely nothing to do with justice; it does, however, have a great deal to do with political objectives. A decision to remove Mr. Odynsky's citizenship will merely confirm that your government has allowed itself to be morally and ethically corrupted, debasing the values of a society that the victims of your denaturalization and deportation policy have worked so hard to preserve.

Yours truly,

Michael Zaleschuk
National President