NEWS RELEASE
				  COMMUNIQUE

Ontario
Ministry of	Ministere
the Attorney	du Procureur
General		general

- UPDATE -
				IMPORTANCE OF RESPECT FOR
				PUBLICATION BAN STRESSED BY
				CROWN, POLICE AND VICTIMS'
				FAMILIES

				DECEMBER 2, 1993

TORONTO -- In response to numerous media inquiries relating to the
publication ban in the Homolka case, the Ministry of the Attorney General,
the Green Ribbon Task Force and the families of Kirsten French and Leslie
Mahaffy are asking the media and the public to continue their efforts to
respect the court-ordered ban in the interest of protecting the right to
a fair trial.

The vast majority of persons in Canada, and the Canadian and American
media have behaved in a responsible fashion in adhering to the ban.
Although the ban does not apply on American soil, most segments of the
American media have not transmitted or distributed publications that violate
the ban in Canada.  There has been controversy surrounding the ban itself
and there is strong opposition to it in some quarters.

Various organizations have appealed the granting of the ban to the Ontario
Court of Appeal.  That appeal has been expedited and is scheduled to be heard
on January 31, 1994.  At that time, the Court of Appeal may review the
propriety of the ban and determine whether it continues.  Respect for the rule
of law is a strong tradition in this country that distinguishes us from many
societies.  When individuals disagree with a court order that affects them,
they must obey it until a higher court sets it a side.

The Ministry is continuing to apply its policy of reviewing all potential
breaches of the publication ban and all potential contempts of court.  It views
any potential breach very seriously.  In the interim, the Ministry of the
Attorney General and the Green Ribbon Task Force, with the fill support of
the French and Mahaffy families, would ask everyone to respect the ban until
the matter can be heard by the Ontario Court of Appeal.

The Ministry expresses its appreciation to newspaper distributors, cable
companies, computer news services, libraries and media outlets who have
indicated that they will respect the ban and not publish any material or
provide access to any material which would violate the ban.

The police, the prosecution and the two victim's families strongly urge
individual members of the public who wish to defy the court's order to think
very carefully of the seriousness of the matters before the court and not do
anything that would impair the fairness of that trial.

The Ministry has an obligation to enforce the court order, and it is making all
efforts to do so.  No further comment will be made on specific instances of
potential breaches of the publication ban or contempts of court.

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Contact:	Barbara Krever			Suzanne Bernier
		Communications Branch		Minister's Office
		(416) 326-2213			(416) 326-4443

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