FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMMUNITY CLOSELY WATCHING CASE
 
RELATED TO ATTACKS ON ASIAN CANADIAN ANGLERS
 
TORONTO, November 20, 2009—The Chinese Canadian community is closely watching developments in the Crown’s case against Trevor Middleton on charges related to attacks on Asian Canadian anglers.
A two-week trial by jury at the Superior Court is scheduled to begin Monday, November 23, 2009, at 9:00 a.m. at the Newmarket Courthouse, located at 50 Eagle St. W., in Newmarket Ontario. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday, followed by pre-trial motions and then opening statements within the next day or so.
“The community has been waiting a long time for justice in these cases related to a rash of attacks since 2007 targeting Asian Canadian anglers across Ontario,” says Karen Sun, executive director of the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter.
“We have been working with other community stakeholders, York Regional Police and assisted in the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s inquiry into these assaults,” says Avvy Go, clinic director of the Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic.
“Serious consideration by the Courts of this case, and others that are similar, and convictions with consideration for hate crimes would serve as a strong deterrent against further attacks,” Go added.
Crown prosecutors have upgraded five initial charges against Mr. Middleton, who now faces four counts of aggravated assault, four counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and two counts of unlawful act causing bodily harm. The charges relate to an incident September 16, 2007, in which a young man and his Asian Canadian friends were fishing near Sutton, Ont., when allegedly they were attacked.
In September this year, Scott MacEachern, a 21-year-old business student from Georgina, Ont., had faced a possible trial on four counts of assault against Asian anglers in York Region during the summer of 2007. However, three of the four charges were dropped and MacEachern pled guilty on one charge, walking free with a sentence of 12 months probation.
“It’s totally ridiculous and sends the wrong message,” commented community leader Dr. Joseph Wong. “These attacks are hurting our community and the courts and government need to do something about it.”
A judge discharged a case involving two counts of assault against Nicholas Perry, then 19, of Georgina, Ont., related to the September 16, 2007, incident during a preliminary inquiry.
“These attacks on Asian anglers are not isolated incidents," says Mike Ma, co-ordinator at the Community and Race Relations Committee, Peterborough. "This has a detrimental impact on the community.”
 “Our entire society suffers when hate crimes go unpunished,” Ma said. “It is not only our collective responsibility, but also the Crown's responsibility to ensure that perpetrators of racism are held accountable." 
The Ontario Human Rights Commission completed a series of reports and recommendations in April this year, titled “Fishing Without Fear,” which stated: Human rights concerns arise when Asian Canadians are targeted for greater scrutiny, or it is assumed that because people are Asian Canadian they are fishing inappropriately. . . It is worthwhile to note that in all of the incidents investigated by police, there was no evidence that victims had broken any fishing regulations.
Action by the OHRC in conjunction with stakeholder groups and the police is helping.
“Many more anglers are starting to report cases of assault, from hearing racial slurs to being threatened and pushed into the water,” says Brad Lee, a community activist and recreational angler. “York Regional Police are taking these incidents seriously, now it is up to the courts to do the same.” 
--30--
 KEY CONTACTS AND RESOURCES:
 
Karen Sun, executive director, Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO), (416) 596-0833 Ext. 3
Avvy Go, clinic director, Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic, (416) 971-9674 
Mike Ma, co-ordinator, Community and Race Relations Committee, Peterborough, (705) 742-9658 and racerelation@gmail.com
Brad Lee, community activist, (416) 399-9850
York Regional Police, Diversity and Cultural Resources Bureau, Inspector Ricky Veerappan, (905) 955-0225
Ontario Human Rights Commission, “FISHING WITHOUT FEAR: Report on the Inquiry into Assaults on Asian Canadian Anglers” [http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/issues/racism/anglerinquiry/anglerinquiry]