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In their appeal, the group was careful to point out that it is not opposed to the memorial itself, just its location on Wellington Street near the Supreme Court.

“We feel that our government has done an end run around the quite wonderful master plan for the parliamentary and judicial precincts,” Padolsky said. “And we think they shouldn’t be allowed to do that.”

The site was originally intended to house a new Federal Court of Canada building, which was to be one of three judicial buildings mirroring Parliament’s three buildings.

“The Government’s approved Long Term Vision and Plan includes the vision of completing a harmonious “triad” within the judicial precinct by erecting a new Federal Court building on the site — not a Memorial to the Victims of Communism,” the appeal for support says.

The group is asking that donations be made through PayPal, cheque or electronic bank transfer directly to Champ and Associates, the Ottawa law firm specializing in administrative law that is representing the group.

“It’s going into trust,” Paul Champ, owner and senior partner of the firm, said in an interview. “It will be paying whatever fees are required. The excess will be donated.”

Champ says because there won’t be a trial it shouldn’t be too expensive.

“We’ve written to the government and asked that they don’t break ground this summer,” he said. “We have received a response from the department of justice and they’ve indicated to us that they will not breaking ground for at least the next two weeks.”