New Cjc Leader Intends to Promote Universal and Jewish Values

Milton Harris, newly elected president of the Canadian Jewish Congress, told the closing session of the organization’s 20th triennial plenary here that he intends to “promote universal and Jewish values” during his term in office and to foster firm cooperation between the CJC and the other national Jewish organizations, B’nai B’rith and the Canadian Zionist Federation.

Harris, who succeeded Prof. Irwin Cotler, stressed that Jewish concerns and national concerns dovetail, “As a Zionist and as a Jew I support the efforts of French Quebecois to preserve their cultural values and their language,” he said. He also promised to pursue the struggle for justice for Soviet Jews and treat it as a human rights issue.

“We shall involve ourselves in native rights and will support other national minorities’ aspirations,” he said. Referring to Nazi war criminals still at large –more than a few living in Canada — Harris said:

“We shall intervene with Western European governments in order to make them ask the Canadian government for the extradition of their nationals, mass murderers hiding in Canada. We shall also ask the Canadian government to proceed with the extradition process. If new legislation is necessary to implement the extradition process, we shall ask the Canadian government to bring in that legislation.” Harris said.

He also stressed that “the development of Canada-Israel relations remains one of our principal goals.”

Lloyd Axworthy, the Minister of Immigration and Manpower who brought greetings from Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, declared, “The agonizing problem is how to reconcile our liberal tradition of granting asylum to oppressed and persecuted people with the growing unemployment of our own nationals.”

He invited the Jewish community to share the government’s anguish and noted the positive collaboration of his department and the Canadian government in saving the lives of a number of Ethiopian Jews.