Joe Borowski was so appalled at a Manitoba provincial court judge’s comment that a 20-year-old convicted rapist was not in need of rehabilitation, that he immediately wrote a letter to Premier of Manitoba asking for the dismissal of the judge.

Sean Stewart, who had pleaded guilty to raping a 19-year-old female clerk who was working alone at a 7-Eleven store July 12, 1983, was sentenced July 13 (1984) to 18 months in jail. “I see no reason to rehabilitate this boy and I don’t think there was the day after it happened,” Judge Dubienski said.

No regard

In this letter to Premier, Mr. Borowski stated, “It’s no wonder there is so little regard for the unborn victim of abortion when those already born are treated with such callous contempt.”

Mr. Borowski went on to say, “the rapist maybe ‘without need for rehabilitation’ but the judge is not! The best rehabilitation for (Judge) Dubienski  is a ticket to the unemployment office. He is a disgrace to the bench and the women and men of Manitoba.”

Anti-woman bias

Winnipeg feminist activist Tanya Lester said Attorney General Roland Penner should call for Judge Ian Dubienski’s resignation for remarks made during the rape trial.

Mr. Borowski also noted in his letter that Judge Dubienski was using his office “to peddle his anti-women bias.”

Pam Jackson, of Violence Against Women, a subcommittee of the Manitoba Action Committee on the Status of Women, said, “it really worries me that a rapist is not considered in need of rehabilitation.”