Posted on 08/02/2003 8:35:40 AM PDT by knighthawk
Ontario's public safety minister and Toronto's police chief accuse Denis Coderre, the federal Minister of Immigration, of putting the privacy concerns of 59 fugitive foreign war criminals ahead of the safety of the Canadian public.
In a strongly worded letter yesterday to Mr. Coderre, obtained by the National Post, they accuse the ministry of "an unfathomable lack of co-operation" and running a "seriously flawed system" that prevents police from knowing the identities of dozens of accused war criminals who came to Canada and then disappeared.
Bob Runciman, Ontario's Minister of Public Safety and Security, and Julian Fantino, Toronto's Chief of Police, sent the letter after Ottawa denied their requests for photographs, names and birthdates of accused foreign nationals believed to be on the loose in Canada.
The war criminals' identities are needed by police in order to re-capture them, the officials say.
"Your officials had a choice and they chose to protect the foreign war criminals' interests to avoid apprehension rather than the public interest of facilitating their recapture," the letter reads.
"We wish to make it clear that this information is requested to assist in the apprehension and removal of these fugitive offenders from Canada," it reads.
Spokesmen for Mr. Coderre and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration did not return telephone calls late yesterday.
Each of the unidentified war criminals, who come from 24 countries, were ordered to report to immigration offices for deportation after their criminal convictions or allegations came to light. None did.
The department has now lost track of them.
Most are known to have committed crimes against humanity, while the rest are war-crimes suspects or known or suspected members of terrorist organizations and foreign intelligence services.
Their identity was first denied to the Post last month, with the department citing the Privacy Act, which the department said prohibits the release of anything more than a criminal's nationality, marital status, height, weight and eye colour.
The letter from Mr. Runciman and Chief Fantino expresses shock the department did not prevent the 59 people from entering Canada in the first place. And it criticizes the system that allowed them to remain free once ordered deported.
The tipping point for the officials, however, was when police requests for the identity information were similarly turned down.
"Your officials have also refused to provide this relevant information to police officers in Canada and are again citing the Privacy Act as requiring this unfathomable lack of co-operation.
"Let's be clear; there is nothing in the Privacy Act that prevents federal officials from releasing this critical information," the letter reads.
"With the greatest of respect, Minister, Canada's national police force that serves as the information conduit for all other police services should not have to make Access [to Information Act] requests to get names and photographs of fugitive foreign criminals that are at large in Canada."
The letter asks the Minister to exercise his statutory authority to overrule the decision of his officials and release the information.
It hints at further action if their request is denied.
Of the 59 fugitives, most are African and Latin American. A significant number also come from the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe.
One is a Lebanese murderer wanted for crimes against humanity. Another is a Kashmiri militant considered armed and dangerous.
Aside from being accused of war crimes, some have convictions for murder, theft, drug trafficking, drunk driving and weapons offences.
They disappeared from Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Kitchener and other Canadian cities.
ahumphreys@nationalpost.com
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There has to be a balance struck which will not allow criminals to use the law to victimize their fellow citizens.
"Let's be clear; there is nothing in the Privacy Act that prevents federal officials from releasing this critical information," the letter reads.
Unbelievable! People's safety is more important than guarding the privacy of war criminals, but then again, the Canadian government reflects its consistent abdication of its responsibility to govern.
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