On December 13, 2002, Ahenakew gave a speech to an FSIN group, which was attended by James Parker, a reporter from the
Saskatoon StarPhoenix. He made references to "goddamn immigrants" in Canada during his speech. During a question-and-answer session following his lecture, Ahenakew said that
Jews were a disease in Germany and that
Hitler was trying to "clean up Europe" when he "fried six million of those guys." He also stated that
Israel and the
United States (specifically mentioning
George W. Bush) were going to start the next world war. The Germans used to tell me, and I got to know them well because I played soccer against them and with them and so forth. But they used to tell me that you guys are blessed. What we know about the Indians in Canada. They are blessed. But that blessing is being destroyed by your immigrants that are going over there. Especially the Jews, they said. The Second World War was started by the Jews and the Third World War, whatever it is, is between Israel and the Arab countries. I was there as well. But there's going to be a war because the Israelis and the "Bushies" – you know, the bully, the bigot in the United States – tells you that if you're not with me you're against me. After the session concluded, the
StarPhoenix reporter asked him to clarify these remarks, and he explained that while serving in the army after the war, Germans had told him the Jews had provoked the war. The
StarPhoenix quoted him as further saying: The Jews damn near owned all of Germany prior to the war. That's why Hitler came in. He was going to make damn sure that the Jews didn't take over
Germany, or even
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 now, they're killing people in
Arab countries. The reporter asked how Ahenakew could
justify the Holocaust. The
StarPhoenix quoted Ahenakew as replying: How else do you get rid of a disease like that, that's going to take over, that's going to dominate?
Public reaction The comments were first circulated in the Canadian national media several days later, and were quickly condemned as
antisemitic by Jewish groups, Aboriginal leaders and Canadian politicians alike. Both
Perry Bellgarde, president of FSIN, and
Matthew Coon Come,
AFN national chief, were quick to distance themselves from Ahenakew's comments. In June 2003, Ahenakew was formally charged by the Saskatchewan Justice Department with promoting hatred. In connection with the remarks from 2002, which were recorded on tape with his knowledge, Ahenakew was later convicted in July 2005 of willfully promoting hatred against Jews. Ahenakew apologized for the remarks, saying they did not represent his beliefs and that he was "caught up in the heat of the moment. I was attempting to spark debate on what has been happening to our First Nations people." At his trial, he later recanted his apology and blamed his outburst on his
diabetes, some wine and a change in medication, a defense that was rejected by the court; he was subsequently fined $1,000. Despite this, he retained his belief that the Jews started the Second World War. Jewish groups, aboriginals and politicians later called for Ahenakew's membership in the
Order of Canada to be revoked. The
Governor General revoked Ahenakew's membership shortly after his trial.
Second trial Ahenakew was retried in Saskatoon in 2008. In February 2009, Saskatchewan Provincial Court Judge Wilfred Tucker acquitted Ahenakew because his statements, while "revolting, disgusting and untrue" did not show an intent to incite hatred. ==Death==