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[FightyF]

I volunteer for Conservative MP Diane Ablonczy, and while helping her out she was asked about some comments she made as a Canadian Alliance MP regarding Maher Arar. Apparently she said that he had ties to Al Qaeda and terrorism and all of that stuff, but this was way back in 2002. The guy asked her where she got her information from, and she said that she, along with Harper, saw the evidence. He then asked if she's willing to apologize for calling someone who isn't a terrorist, a terrorist. She said she wouldn't apologize!

Now, I've seen on the CBC that the inquiry wants to question Paul Martin and possibly Stephen Harper regarding what they've seen. My memory is failing me...did Harper deny that he saw anything regaring Arar? I'm fairly certain he denied seeing anything, when he was asked by the CBC...but it doesn't add up. Diane is a real honest person, I know this from working with her. But what Harper said doesn't make any sense.

I want to make doubley sure about what Harper said, before confronting her about it. I like her, but she wasn't willing to apologize for calling someone a terrorist, and that left a bad taste in my mouth. It's as bad as politicians referring to Bush as "Hitler" and not apologizing. Can anyone confirm's Harper comments for me? I'll do a search on the CBC's website right now...

 

[ShadowRed]

Dude does this look like Canadian Age?

 

[teiresias]

Canada has a government? I thought you all hunted bears for food and slept in caves!!!!

 

[explodet]

 

[explodet]

 

[explodet]

Now, I've seen on the CBC that the inquiry wants to question Paul Martin and possibly Stephen Harper regarding what they've seen. My memory is failing me...did Harper deny that he saw anything regaring Arar?

Stephen Harper may be called to testify at the public inquiry into the deportation and detention of Maher Arar after admitting a Canadian official told him Arar's deportation to Syria was "appropriate," and likely based upon the "encouragement from authorities in this country."

"This is very, very, serious. Any official of the Canadian government, in light of our Charter of Rights, that says deportation of a person back to a country where they're going to be subject to torture is a violation of our Charter," Arar's lawyer Lorne Waldman said outside the hearing room yesterday.

"We have to get Mr. Harper here because he's the one who can tell us who the officials were that said that."

The Conservative leader commented on the Arar case Tuesday night while answering questions on a televised CBC program called Canada Votes. He said he had received conflicting reports, both publicly and privately, as to how Canadian officials were involved in Arar's case.

"There were mixed messages, not just in the House of Commons, but to us privately ... by authorities in this country that had suggested that the deportation of Mr. Arar was appropriate. Then we found out later that may not have been the case," he said Tuesday night.

"My suspicion is, quite frankly, that it was not a random act just by the United States. I do think they received some encouragement from authorities in this country and I'd like to know why."

The inquiry is probing the possible role of Canadian officials in the detention of Arar in New York in September, 2002, and his subsequent deportation to Syria. The 34-year-old Canadian citizen has said he was tortured during his imprisonment.

Harper seemed taken aback yesterday by the attention that his comments generated and the call to have him testify.

"Obviously I'm a little bit surprised but I'll see, I'll talk to my lawyer about that ... I'm as much in the dark as anyone," he said yesterday in Toronto.

 

[Traumahound]

From the Globe and Mail: http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040624.warar-harper0624/BNStory/National/

Mr. Harper sought yesterday to clarify his comments by emphasizing that, in fact, he'd never received a private briefing. Conservative officials explained that Mr. Harper had been referring to more casual discussions MPs had had.

Does that help at all?

 

[FightyF]

Thanks for the responses, I didn't see that G&M article...very interesting.

Hopefully the inquiry can straighten things out, because thus far there seems to be a mish-mash of information, and nothing concrete.