Clarification

David Matas, chairman of the League for Human Rights of B’nai B’rith Canada, today issued a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency clarifying his statement earlier this week regarding three Canadian Prime Ministers. His statement said:

“I have been reported as accusing two Canadian Prime Ministers, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Louis St. Laurent and possibly a third, Lester Pearson of anti-Semitism. While Mackenzie King’s anti-Jewish remarks are a matter of public record, I made and make no accusations about any of them.

“On February II, in Montreal, the League for Human Rights at a press conference released a report that I authored titled ‘Bringing Nazi War Criminals in Canada to Justice. ‘ In answer to a question from a reporter about anti-Semitism as a cause for inaction, I speculated that anti-Semitism may have been a possible explanation for the inaction of the King, St. Laurent and Pearson governments in bringing Nazi war criminals to justice, an explanation consistent with the refusal of the King government to admit Jewish refugees to Canada fleeing the Holocaust. “However, it is not the only explanation, nor the one I, myself, believe. As I said at the press conference, “the inaction in bringing Nazi war criminals in Canada to justice, in my belief, comes from a sense of insularity. Because the crimes were committed outside of Canada by non-Canadians against non-Canadians, Canada has not acted in this area.”