Canadian response to Omar Khadr

, " [http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=4a83cb67-444f-4348-811f-cd3303b56ded&k=1213 Khadr helped al-Qaeda with GPS] , November 2 2006]

For several years following Khadr's capture in 2002, his case did not generate any "serious controversy". [Roach, Kent. "September 11: Consequences for Canada", 2003. pp 163.] Once his military tribunals began however, his case drew considerable attention as a child soldier, with commentators seizing on the fact he is the youngest prisoner held in extrajudicial detention by the United States to face charges in the War on Terror. At this time, commentators began trying to distance Khadr from Canada, suggesting that he had never really been a Canadian except by technicalities. [http://thefacesbehind.net TheFacesBehind.net] , " [http://thefacesbehind.net/main/page_the_interviews_omar_khadr.html Omar Khadr: A Canadian in Guantanamo] ", July 2008]

By 2007, interest in his case had grown exponentially although Canadians remained divided on whether he should be repatriated.Shephard, Michelle, Toronto Star, " [http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/306571 Harper urged to intervene for Khadr] ", February 25, 2008] [Shephard, Michelle, Toronto Star, [http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/418041 Survey finds divided views of Khadr] , April 24 2008]

The only Western citizen remaining in Guantanamo, Khadr is unique in that Canada has refused to seek extradition or repatriation despite the urgings of Amnesty International, the Canadian Bar Association and other prominent organisations.cite news
url=
title=Guantanamo inmate center of debate
author=Maggie Farley
publisher=Los Angeles Times
date=June 23 2007] cite news
title=Law society demands Omar Khadr's release to Canada
author=Janice Tibbetts
publisher=National Post
date=Sunday, August 12, 2007
url=http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=de87c6ab-05b7-48c2-a5e7-89e2b554043f&k=80491] cite news
publisher=Globe and Mail
url=
title=Prosecuting Khadr at home would be 'quite difficult,' experts say
author=Colin Freeze
date=September 10, 2007]

Canada's three main opposition parties, the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Québécois, have all condemned Prime Minister Stephen Harper for refusing to demand the United States turn Khadr over to Canadian authorities. [Liberal Party of Canada, [http://www.liberal.ca/story_13916_e.aspx Khadr Must Be Repatriated to Receive Just Treatment] , April 30 2008] Prior to Harper's appointment, two consecutive Liberal Prime Ministers had failed to make the same demand. In April 2008, Bill Graham, the former Foreign Affairs Minister, said that he regretted not having done more to help secure Khadr's release or repatriation while the Liberal government was in power. [Shephard, Michelle, Toronto Star, " [http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/419062 Graham has regrets over Khadr] , April 28 2008]

The broad support for some Canadians imprisoned abroad such as Brenda Martin, and the inaction and lack of attention paid to Khadr's situation has led some to suggest there are "two classes of citizens arrested abroad" in Canada, based on racism, the popularity of the imprisoned person or Canada's relations with the imprisoning country. [Walkom, Thomas. Toronto Star, [http://www.thestar.com/Canada/Columnist/article/346300 Two classes of citizens arrested abroad] , March 15, 2008] [Kingston Whig-Standard Editorial: [http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1001706 And justice for some] , April 25 2008]

Early reaction

On September 5 2002, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said that he would ensure "due process and proper access to Canadian officials" for Khadr, and that he would be treated "in the same way that we deal with any Canadian arrested in any other country." [CBC News, [http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2002/09/05/canadian_teen020905.html Canadian teen held by U.S. military] , September 6, 2002]

In 2002, prior to his position as Prime Minister, Alliance Party leader Stephen Harper commented that Omar Khadr represented "Canada being a platform for activities that are dangerous to the Western alliance." [Krauss, Clifford. New York Times, " [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0DE2D71E31F937A2575AC0A9649C8B63&scp=9&sq=khadr&st=nyt Canadian Teenager Held by U.S. in Afghanistan in Killing of American Medic] ", September 14, 2002] When Foreign Affairs began making press statements on the case through Henry Garfield Pardy that year, legal adviser Colleen Swords sent him an eMail telling him to "claw back on the fact [Omar] is a minor" in his statements on the case.Michelle Shephard, "Guantanamo's Child", 2008.]

Later developments

The Canadian population remains divided on Khadr's case, with nearly equal numbers believing he should be left in Guantanamo for the Americans to process, or that he should be repatriated to Canada. In 2008, 67% of Canadians believed that Khadr faced an unfair trial at Guantanamo, although only 43% believed that meant he should be repatriated to Canada instead. [Shephard, Michelle, Toronto Star, [http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/418284 Only 33% believe Khadr trial will be fair] , April 25 2008] Angus Reid, [http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/30134/omar_khadr_case_still_splits_views_in_canada Omar Khadr Case Still Splits Views in Canada] , March 14, 2008]

In April 2008, the Canadian House of Commons Sub-committee on International Human Rights convened the country's first hearing on whether the House should request repatriation of Khadr to Canada. Witnesses included Senator Romeo Dallaire, Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier, defence lawyers William C. Kuebler and Rebecca Snyder, and the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Louise Arbour. [Shephard, Michelle, Toronto Star, " [http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/419599 Khadr 'not a risk,' Commons committee told] ", April 29 2008] [El Akkad, Omar. Globe and Mail, " [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080429.womarkhadr0429/BNStory/National/home Khadr lawyer takes case to Parliament Hill] ", April 29 2008] The hearings led Liberal senator Romeo Dallaire to state he was "going to be a pain" and "harass" the Conservative government until they intervened in the case. [Shephard, Michelle, Toronto Star, [http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/420217 Dallaire vows to agitate for Omar Khadr] , May 1 2008]

In June 2008, the CBC sent Khadr six written questions and requested a response, which it subsequently published.cite news
url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/23/khadr-letter.html
title=Guantanamo detainee Khadr wants 'normal' life, letter says
publisher=CBC News
author=
date=June 23 2008
accessdate=2008-06-23
quote=]

Two months later his family launched [http://www.thekhadrlegacy.com TheKhadrLegacy.com] in a bid to quell rumors about Khadr being foreign-born, a "citizen of convenience" or raised in a family of terrorists. Their attempts to speak on Omar's behalf were condemned by both his military and civil lawyers. [http://www.thekhadrlegacy.com TheKhadrLegacy.com] , both inactive archived site and current site] [Shephard, Michelle. Kitchener-Waterloo Record, " [http://news.therecord.com/News/CanadaWorld/article/411729 Khadr family fights bad reputation] ", September 9 2008] [Barbassa, Juliana. Associated Press, [http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2008/09/17/6796116-ap.html Khadr's lawyer drums up support for his return] , September 17, 2008]

References

External links

* [http://www.thekhadrlegacy.com/ The Khadr Legacy] , a website maintained by his family

* [http://www.bringomarhome.ca BringOmarHome.ca] , national campaign calling for Omar Khadr's repatriation to Canada
* [http://www.omarkhadrproject.com The Omar Khadr Project] , law students supporting the repatriation of Omar Khadr
* [http://www.hewas15.com He was 15] , advocacy site