The Zundelsite - A chair for Mr. Zundel? Nyet!

Sept 12, 2003

ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny

Here is another blossom from the bureaucracy of Absurdistan. The hypocrisy and sadism embedded in this letter deserve to be added to Internet archives - while a still-sane world struggles against the Forces of Darkness to preserve and protect Freedom of Speech.

For weeks, even months, the Zundel Defense team has argued that a man who has to defend himself against the spurious but very serious charge of being a "security risk to Canada" ought to at least be entitled to a chair and post-it note pads so he can sit and mark up his legal documents. Here is the response. The letter speaks for itself - and please don't miss the lofty source!

[START]

Ministry of the Attorney General Legal Services Branch Ministry of Public Safety and Security 8th Floor, 77 Greenwille Street Toronto, ON M5S 1B3

September 10, 2003

(Addressed to Douglas Christie, Attorney)

Dear Mr. Christie,

Re: Ernst Zundel

Further to our recent conversations, I have consulted with the Toronto West Detention Centre and the Central Region Office with respect to your request that you be permitted to send post-it notes and a chair for Mr. Zundel. As I indicated when we spoke on the phone, the institution does not permit inmates to be sent materials or furniture that are not generally available to all other inmates. This is the ministry policy for security reasons, and in order to be consistent and fair with respect to the rights and privileges extended to all inmates.

As you are aware, Mr. Zundel is currently being held in administrative segregation as the institution considers it necessary that he be held separate from the general inmate population for his own protection. Mr. Zundel's placement in administrative segregation is reviewed at least once every five days. While Mr. Zundel would be in a cell with a built-in stool if he were among the general population of inmates, due to those concerns for Mr. Zundel's safety, the institution does not consider it prudent to house Mr. Zundel among the general population. If Mr. Zundel were housed among the general population in one of a range of cells that gives on to a day room, he would be sharing a cell with at least one other inmate and could come into contact with other inmates on the range on a daily basis.

The institution has reviewed the options for Mr. Zundel's accommodation in light of his concern regarding the lack of a chair or stool in his segregation cell, and has determined that once arrangements can be made, Mr. Zundel will be housed in a special needs intake unit while maintaining his status in administrative segregation. The special needs intake unit is architecturally like a standard range, as it includes 10 cells that contain bunk beds and built-in stools, however, each cell houses only one inmate due to the nature of the special needs intake population. You and your client should be aware that special needs inmates are those who require special health care services, often psychiatric care, or who have exhibited behaviour that may be either unacceptable or harmful to themselves or to others such that association with the general population may pose a risk. Mr. Zundel would need to go into the day room on that range in order to make phone calls and have access to a shower and fresh air, and there may be some restrictions on when he could be in the day room as interaction with other inmates on the special needs unit is generally avoided for safety reasons.

If at any time the institution determines that a special needs intake cell is not appropriate for Mr. Zundel either due to concerns for his safety or for any other operational reason, Mr. Zundel will be returned to a segregation cell.

Yours truly,

Jinan Kubursi, Counsel

c. Donald MacIntosh and Pamela Larmondin, Department of Justice, Fax (416) 954-8982. Justice Blais, Federal Court of Canada, Fax (416)973-2154

[END]