Department of Justice

RELEASE OF MATERIALS CONCERNING THE EXTRADITION OF
LEONARD PELTIER

OTTAWA, October 15, 1999 – The Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the release of materials pertaining to a departmental review of the 1976 extradition of Leonard Peltier from Canada to the United States.

In 1994, the then Minister of Justice, the Honourable Allan Rock, asked Department of Justice officials to conduct a review of Mr. Peltier's extradition file. That process has been completed, and Minister McLellan is now releasing the file review to the public.

After fully considering the matter, Minister McLellan concluded that Mr. Peltier was lawfully extradited to the United States. The reasons for her conclusions have been detailed in a letter sent to the Honourable Janet Reno, United States Attorney General.

The following materials are being released today:

• Letter to the Honourable Janet Reno, United States Attorney General;
• File Review and Appendices; and
• Summary of the extradition proceedings in the case of Leonard Peltier including the news release of the Statement by the Honourable Ron Basford, December 17, 1976.

These documents are available on the Department of Justice Web Site at http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/dept/pub/rev/index.html. The appendices to the file review can be obtained by calling the Department of Justice at (613) 957-4222.

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Ref.:

Line Chabot-Racine
Director of Communications
Minister's Office
(613) 992-4621

Irène Arseneau
Public Affairs
Department of Justice
(613) 957-4207