In this 1992 article from The Globe and Mail, Scientology's attorney, Clayton Ruby says there are only 300 active members of the cult in Canada!

Thanks Wulfen, for posting the long digest of articles from which this was taken.

Warrior - Sunshine disinfects
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Globe and Mail, Thursday, August 13, 1992, P. A13 Prosecution seeks $1-million fine in Scientology case by Thomas Claridge A Crown prosecutor suggested yesterday that the Church of Scientology of Toronto should be fined at least $1-million and three of its members should be jailed for breaches of trust involving infiltration of the Ontario government and three police forces in the 1970s.

Prosecutor James Stewart made the proposals in a brief opening statement at a sentencing hearing before Mr. Justice James Southey of the Ontario Court's General Division.

He suggested jail terms of six months for Jacqueline Matz as a senior member of the organization's Guardian's Office, and sentences of 30 to 90 days for Janice Wheeler and Donald Whitmore, who worked as Scientology operatives in the Ontario Attorney-General's ministry and the RCMP.

The proposals brought an angry response from Scientology lawyers, who argued that any fine should be nominal, and produced unaudited financial statements showing that the Toronto body was already deeply in debt, in large part because of the prosecution.

Lawyers Clayton Ruby and Marlys Edwardh told Judge Southey the organization had acted quickly as soon as it learned of the illegal Guardian's Office activities, launching an "Amends" program that required community service work by former Guardian's Office members for charitable organizations not connected with the Scientology operation.

Describing the proposed $1-million fine as a penalty designed to "crush, to destroy," Mr. Ruby said its imposition would amount to a violation of both the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Magna Carta of 1215.

The financial statements showed the Toronto group's assets as having shrunk to about $3.5-million from $5.4-million in 1991, while its liabilities had risen to nearly $9.6-million from about $8.2-million.

Most of the deterioration appeared to be as the result of legal expenses.

Noting that the organization had been found guilty of only two of the 12 charges it faced when the trial opened, Mr. Ruby argued that any fine would have to be paid by the 7,000 adherents, only 300 of whom are "active members." He said the operation's only real asset is its building at 696 Yonge St., recently appraised at $6-million.

The hearing is expected to end today.

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