The Federal Court has mandated the disclosure of previously concealed sections of a vital study from September 1986 that was prepared for a significant federal commission investigating war crimes. In a recent public ruling, Federal Court Justice Simon Fothergill has instructed the government to reveal redacted parts of the study focusing on the resettlement of suspected Nazi war criminals in Canada post-World War II.
For several years, B’nai Brith Canada has been advocating for increased transparency regarding the report authored by researcher Alti Rodal. In response to an access to information request from B’nai Brith, Library and Archives Canada released some additional segments of the report in February 2024. However, certain portions, including discussions on the involvement of American intelligence agencies in facilitating the integration of Nazi collaborators in Canada, were still being withheld by Library and Archives.
Justice Fothergill dismissed the federal government’s argument that the disclosure of specific additional details could negatively impact Canada’s international relationships.
