Cabinet to decide fate of former Nazi interpreter

The lawyer for a man who faces deportation for entering Canada fraudulently in 1954 wants his client to be able to address the federal cabinet.

Helmut Oberlander, who lives in Kitchener, Ontario, was an interpreter for a Nazi killing squad during the Second World War.

However, a federal court judge ruled this week that even though Oberlander failed to disclose his wartime record, there is no evidence he committed any war crimes.

A spokesman for Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan said it's up to the cabinet to decide whether or not Oberlander's citizenship will be revoked.

His lawyer, Eric Hafemann, sent a letter Wednesday to the federal government demanding it not take any action against Oberlander and allow him to address the cabinet.

But Derik Hodgson, Caplan's press secretary, said he doesn't expect Oberlander's lawyer will be able to present his case. He said "lawyers go to court, cabinet ministers go to cabinet."

The Canadian Jewish Congress has urged the cabinet "to strip Oberlander of his citizenship with all due speed and deport him immediately thereafter."