RCMP hears Pankiw complaint

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A complaint against independent Member of Parliament Jim Pankiw was filed with Saskatoon RCMP on Dec. 18 by a Metis man.

John Melenchuk told Windspeaker he was interviewed at length by Cpl. John Kubat of the Major Crimes Unit. Kubat said he could not comment on what he had discussed with Melenchuk, but he did confirm he had spoken to him that day.

Melenchuk said the police officer assured him he would investigate the complaint. It centres around a pamphlet the Saskatoon-Humboldt MP sent out to constituents in early December. Entitled "Stop Indian Crime," the pamphlet states that Native people are disproportionately represented in the justice system because Native people commit more crimes. He said political correctness has prevented anyone from stating this "fact" and Natives, instead, are given a "get-out-of-jail-card" through section 718.2 (e) of the Criminal Code of Canada which allows judges to not sentence some Aboriginal offenders to periods of incarceration because of social circumstances they may be faced with.

The pamphlet, paid for with tax dollars, prompted Canada Post employees to picket the MP's constituency office because they did not want to have deliver what they considered offensive material.

Melenchuk said he decided to file the complaint for two reasons. First, he felt that since there had been calls for a police investigation into recent anti-Semitic comments made by Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Senator David Ahenakew, then Pankiw's comments should also be investigated. Second, the back cover of the pamphlet shows the famous photo of a Mohawk Warrior face to face with a Canadian soldier. Pankiw's caption under that photo: "Indian terrorist confronts Canadian soldier at Oka, 1990" caught the attention of the Metis man's young son.

"He saw it and asked me, 'Are you an Indian, dad?' I said, 'No. I'm a Metis. I'm half Indian.' Then he asked me, 'Are you a terrorist?' That's when I decided I had to do something," said John Melenchuk.

He said he filed the complaint because the FSIN leadership had not taken action.

"Our so-called leaders here are doing nothing so I decided to do something," he said. "If Ahenakew's behavior was worth an investigation then this certainly is. At least Mr. Ahenakew apologized."

Section 319 of the Criminal Code of Canada states that "Every one who, by communicating statements in any public place, incites hatred against any identifiable group where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace is guilty" of a hate-crime. It has been a notoriously difficult charge to prove and few such charges have been laid. The attorney general of the province also has the last word on if the charge will proceed.

Those who were enraged by the comments of Ahenakew have called for an investigation. They have also called for revocation of his membership in the Order of Canada.

"The Jews damn near owned all of Germany prior to the war," Ahenakew told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. "That's how Hitler came in. He was going to make damn sure that the Jews didn't take over Germany or Europe.

"That's why he fried six million of those guys, you know. Jews would have owned the goddamned world. And look what they're doing. They're killing people in Arab countries."

Native leaders denounced his comments. Ahenakew apologized and resigned from the FSIN posts on Dec. 17.