Saskatchewan native group reaches out to Jewish congress

Ahenakew was offered a seat in the federation's senate last month while he awaits a second trial on charges of wilfully promoting hatred with anti-Semitic remarks.

He declined the offer, but the mere fact it was made caused a storm of controversy among native leaders, Jewish groups and both the federal and Saskatchewan governments.

Federation officials will meet Tuesday with the Canadian Jewish Congress in Ottawa to explain how they handled the matter.

A former leader of the Assembly of First Nations, Ahenakew publicly denounced Jews in 2002 as "a disease" and blamed them for the Second World War. He was convicted in 2005 of promoting hate, fined $1,000 and stripped of his Order of Canada.

A year later, his conviction was overturned on appeal and a new trial ordered, which is slated to begin this fall.