For Immediate Release
Toronto, September 26, 1996...B'nai Brith Canada expresses deep dismay over the failure of the Alberta Court of Appeals to impose a more serious penalty upon James Keegstra, the former Eckville, Alberta high school teacher convicted of wilfully promoting hatred against Jews. Despite the Supreme Court's two earlier decisions to uphold the constitutionality of section 319 of the Criminal Code and to reinstate Keegstra's conviction, the Alberta Court of Appeals maintained his sentence of a $3,000 fine, one-year suspended sentence and 200 hours of community service.
David Matas, Honourary Senior Legal Counsel for B'nai Brith Canada, issued the following statement: “The Supreme Court's immediate and unanimous findings from the bench for the constitutionality of the provisions against hate propaganda should have sent a clear message to the Alberta Court of Appeals of the severity of Keegstra's actions. Today's decision reveals the extent to which the Alberta Court of Appeals is oblivious to the dangers of hate speech. Hate speech was among the root forces driving the greatest crimes of the twentieth century, a fact which seems to have been lost on the Court.”
Matas added that the record of the Alberta Court of Appeals in this matter is "lamentable" and a cause for great concern. The triviality of the sentence shows the Court's inability to recognize the danger hate speech poses to democracy, including freedom of speech.
Keegstra is alleged to have taught his students that Jews were "treacherous," "subversive" and "money-loving" and were responsible for most of the evil in the world.
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