If you believe long-time "free speech" defender and lawyer Doug Christie, if the damned media didn't report the remarks of people who promoted hate, there would be no hate promotion!

In a Globe and Mail story, Christie told reporters: "Who is more to blame? Who spread it around the world?"

Christie is the defence lawyer for David Ahenakew, the former Indian leader on trial for promoting hate by saying Jews were a "disease" and that Hitler was justified when he "fried" six million of them.

Ahenakew made his initial remarks in front of an audience of about 200 to 300 at a Saskatchewan Federation of Indian Nations event back in December 2002.

He followed up on them when Parker scrummed him afterward. Ahenakew, who once headed the the Assembly of First Nations, testified Tuesday that he didn't know he was being taped! Parker said he was holding his recorder right in front of Ahenakew's face ("maybe he's got big hands," Ahenakew said).

Anyway, here's some excerpts from the CP story of the Wednesday exchange:

As part of a combative and often tense cross-examination, Christie suggested Parker wanted to write a story that would bring down the Indian federation because of a contentious relationship he had with the group.

Christie tried to portray Parker as a reporter hungry to write "the story of his life" and wondered why he didn't ask the federation's (note: Saskatchewan Federation of Indian Nations) permission before publishing Ahenakew's remarks or take his tape to the RCMP.

Parker testified that he had no idea at the time that Ahenakew's remarks may lead to charges.

Christie took issue with the fact Parker approached Ahenakew after the speech.

"Mr. Parker had a clear and deliberate plan to get a good story out of a mediocre one," Christie told provincial court Judge Marty Irwin. "You were publishing that material because you knew it would make you a famous reporter."

Parker shot back by saying he was just doing his job.

"I was gathering news," Parker said. "I wanted people to know that Dr. Ahenakew endorsed the Holocaust. These are exceptional comments. These are extreme comments."

Outside the court, Parker told reporters he was expecting and prepared for the attacks on his work.

"This was a public event, this was a public speech," Parker said. "I felt it was necessary and the newspaper felt it was necessary that people know this about Mr. Ahenakew."

Some backstory. I worked in Saskatchewan for a decade in total. I've met Mr. Parker, but know him primarily by repuation. My colleagues and I thought he was one of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix's best reporters.

Here is what FSIN vice-president Lawrence Joseph told the trial about Parker:

... Joseph testified he thought of him as unprofessional and someone who didn't respect the federation's media strategy.

"Mr. Parker did not report our stories to the benefit of First Nations people," Joseph said. "As a vice-chief, I had no use for him."

Wow. If I'd known Parker didn't respect the FSIN's media strategy, I would have never said nice things about him. :^)

I think Mr. Joseph might have the interests of First Nations people and First Nations politicians mixed up.