News Release

Canadian Race Relations Foundation calls on Crown to appeal sentences 
issued against five skinheads

Toronto, November 16, 1999 - The Canadian Race Relations Foundation is
calling on the Crown to appeal the sentences that were handed down today
against five skinheads in British Columbia who beat an elderly Sikh man 
to death.

"These individuals should have been sentenced to life in prison because they
pose an unacceptable risk to public safety," says Moy Tam, executive
director of the Foundation. "The moderate sentences they have received 
will not serve as a sufficient deterrent to other racists."

Mr. Justice William Stewart of the British Columbia Supreme Court sentenced
Robert Kluch and Lee Nikkel to 15 years each in prison. Nathan LeBlanc,
Daniel Miloszewski, and Radoslaw Synderek each received a sentence of 
12 years in prison.

Tam says the five skinheads will be eligible to apply for full parole after
serving one-third of their sentences and are entitled to automatic release
after serving two-thirds of their sentences. "The bottom line is that these
dangerous and violent individuals could be back on the street in as little
as four to five years, which is completely unacceptable."

Two of the skinheads - Nathan LeBlanc and Robert Kluch - should definitely
have received life sentences because they refused to express any remorse for
killing Nirmal Singh Gill, adds Tam. The Crown submitted a letter to the
court written by LeBlanc in which he praised a Texas white supremacist for
dragging a black man to death behind his pick-up truck. Wiretap evidence
showed that Kluch had proposed murdering 100 Indo-Canadian children to
frighten their parents into leaving Canada.

"These two individuals are clearly die-hard racists who will continue to
pose an enormous threat to public safety," says Tam. "I am astounded that
they did not receive life sentences, particularly since the Criminal Code
allows the courts to toughen a sentence if the crime was motivated by 
hate."

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (www.crr.ca) opened its doors in
November, 1997. It operates at arm's length from the federal government and
works at the forefront of efforts to combat racism and all forms of racial
discrimination in Canada.

The Foundation is in the process of launching the largest anti-racism
campaign of its kind in Canadian history. Starting on December 15th, the
Foundation and its partners will be running 30 and 60-second television ads
on both national and local television. Posters, stickers, a 30-minute video
and a study guide will also be distributed throughout Canada.

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Contact:	Colin Bhattacharjee
			Communications Officer
			Phone:  (416) 952-8171

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