Conrad Black has called the criminal charges he faces in an upcoming U.S. trial a "monstrous defamation," and said regaining his Canadian citizenship should not cost him his British title.

"I'm shocked at this nonsense I have to put up with right now," Black said in an interview with Report on Business Television.

"It's a shocking thing that I should be accused of these things. I'll expose them as completely unjustified, but it's taken years of my life and it's really quite troublesome."

Black is set to face a U.S. criminal trial in March. In November 2005, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago charged Black and other former Hollinger International executives with allegedly stealing more than US$80 million from shareholders.

He's also charged with tax evasion and misusing company money, and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

"It's a monstrous defamation, and my libel suits -- which will have to be answered and heard when the case is adjudicated in Chicago -- are the largest in the history of this country," said Black.

"It's a terrible defamation to accuse someone of crimes when he's innocent."

The charges -- which have not been proven in court -- carry a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. But Black said he is not afraid of going to jail.

"I'm innocent. If I'd done something wrong, I'd be afraid. I'd be repentant, also," said Black. "People who are innocent are not convicted, if they can afford good lawyers."

Meanwhile, Black is trying to regain his Canadian citizenship, which he renounced in 2001 to take the British title Lord Black of Crossharbour.

Jean Chretien, prime minister at the time, had tried to block the appointment, citing the 1919 Nickle Resolution that ruled foreign governments could not grant titles to Canadians.

"All I am doing is what I said I would do when I renounced it -- that eventually, I would take it back," Black told reporters Thursday.

"Nothing is happening. I have the impression that you people in the media are hounding the Citizenship Department every day. As far as I know, nothing is happening."

His comments came after a patriotic speech to the Empire Club of Canada in a Toronto hotel. He spoke on Canadian history and the nation's rich abundance of natural resources.

Black argued that Canada must take advantage Asian countries which increasingly show an interest in the country's energy exports.

"We must not let it go to our heads but Canada is by many measurements and by imminent potential, one of the world's great powers and I think we should get used to it," said Black.

With files from The Canadian Press