Canada’s Silence on War Crimes Reporting Draws Criticism

The War Crimes Program, a federal government initiative aimed at preventing war criminals from entering Canada, has come under scrutiny for its failure to publish a report on its activities for over eight years.

Established as a collaborative effort between the federal departments of justice and immigration, along with the Canada Border Services Agency and the RCMP, the War Crimes Program has the crucial mandate of investigating, prosecuting, and deporting suspected war criminals seeking refuge in Canada.

The origins of the program trace back to 1987, following the findings of the Deschênes Commission, which revealed Canada’s inadvertent admission of former Nazis after World War II. In response, the government implemented measures to address this oversight, leading to the establishment of the War Crimes Program.

Initially, the program regularly issued reports detailing its efforts to combat war criminals, with annual updates provided for a decade. However, since 2008, the frequency of these reports has declined significantly, with only two reports issued between 2008 and 2015 and no updates published since then.

In response to inquiries about the lack of reporting, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice cited ongoing efforts to collect data since 2016 as the reason for the delay in publishing an update.

The program’s efficacy has faced heightened scrutiny following a controversial incident in September, during which Parliament acknowledged an individual later identified as having served with a Nazi unit in Ukraine during World War II. This incident underscored the importance of robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms to ensure the program’s effectiveness in safeguarding Canada’s borders from individuals involved in war crimes.

As calls for transparency and accountability mount, stakeholders and the public alike await the publication of overdue reports from the War Crimes Program, signaling a renewed commitment to addressing historical oversights and enhancing Canada’s efforts to uphold justice and human rights.