betsy

If there is no evidence linking Arar to terrorist activity....and that the RCMP had passed false information on to the US authorities, and had leaked untrue information (perhaps in an effort to cover up the mess they made)...then Arar, regardless of his dual citizenship or alleged stupidity, is unquestionably the victim. There is serious concern about the way the RCMP....or any law enforcement (which may include the USA if they cannot present anything to substantiate their claims)...had handled this affair. This is scary, not only to immigrants....but to everyone. Your life suddenly turned upside down. Imagine being secretly shuttled to another country...stuff you only see in espionage movies! Although we need to be on heightened state of alertness due to national security....we shouldn't be lax either about losing rights this way. Another thing I want to know though: was the inquiry only about the role of the RCMP? Was there an inquiry focused on Arar himself? Mike, do you have any official source to substantiate your claims? As I have said, I do not know much about this, and I've not been following it avidly either. Speculations cannot be taken in as proof of his guilt. Further more, if damaging speculations continue despite the inquiry's assertion that there is no evidence of guilt...it only confirms what Arar had been saying: his reputation is damaged beyond repair. There will always be doubts about him. And he had a career!

I had the same problem too until someone told me about the "ending quote tags." The quote at the end of a quoted statement should have a slash. I think your statement decribing Arar's wife is the one that don't have the proper ending quote.

Do you have any source other than your claim that nothing is being done?

Eh? You're confused. It's you who's been limiting it all to Africa! Anyway, what is hypocritical about Canada or us? You never did explain why you came up with that title.

IF Canada can even afford to have that health and pension programs at all in the future.

From what I understand, the Liberals had also resisted from turning the flag into a yoyo under their rule. Anyway, the Liberal sentiment that goes with that yoyo is just plain exploitation and politicizing....everyone knows that! Because on the next breath after that....weren't the troops likened to terrorists? That sentiment ran along the same idea of the Liberal election campaign ad....about our troops with guns on every streets of Canada? That's how the Liberals really think of our troops. As for the rest....well, how many lies did the Liberals make? How many boondagles? Including the environment! And the most important issue: corruptions. the culture of entitlement. We're still discovering how deeply-seated it is among the Liberals.

Worse. He's NDP! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Lewis I knew it wouldn't have been long when you'll bring up the Christian thingy. Anyway, if you're really so keen on children....what so different about the children of Africa from other children of the world?

It's the universal plan by the Liberals and the NDP that's the concern, I think.

Or the future duds. Children are raw materials. If we're going to invest to ensure the future....I'd rather see it go to those that are already showing potentials for the future. We already provide the basics and the foundation needed for success (public schooling from grade school to highschool and who knows what other myriads programs to encourage and to coax them to do better for their own future!). Those that make it after that should be the ones to be given more aid and help to make it....they've already proven themselves as more likely to make it....and that's just sound investing. Right now we need doctors for example....so, we should do something to make it easy and fast to produce more doctors! I'd rather see FREE medical schooling in exchange for a contracted number of years of service to the community! Parents should have some amount of responsibility in raising their children.

If you decide to get old, then you'd better be able to pay for it! I will not have my tax dollars wasted on "health and pension" programs.........period. Ahh....but the old had given their youth, time and money paying for the social programs being enjoyed by the young! There-in lies the big difference. The old had done their part. The old had earned the rights to be looked after! Or at least, that's how it's supposed to be. But then, I guess you're referring to the future olds. So yeah...I see the very young folks as having a legitimate reason to say that in the future.

I have to admit that the only knowledge I have about this case came from the Canadian media at the height of the Zaccardeli inquiry. With The USA firm stance on keeping him on that blacklist....I'm beginning to have serious doubts whteher Arar is truly innocent in all these. We are after all living in a society wherein apologists and political correctness utmostly rule...and we have a minority government being pressured no doubt to appease and satisfy what rules. What JMH had pointed out only makes me doubt Arar's innocence all the more. It makes sense since this Arar does not strike me as an imbecile....but rather quite an intellgent guy. MAYBE, what may have acquitted him was not the fact that he is proven innocent.....but by the simple reason there is no other ample evidence other than the circumstantial kinds. You know, like knowing somebody did the murder but you can't find the body and the smoking gun.

Yoo-hoo Margrace.....never mind bleating about Africa. Bleat about this one! It's more inclusive!

Exactly. And the April 26, 2005, Priorities for Canada and the G8 in addressing HIV/AIDS and development list that I posted was about children from all over the world. And where was Steve when the AIDS conference was going on in Toronto in 2006? Hiding in a Northern military base. What's the big difference whether he's there physically or not? I bet all that's really needed is his signature on some cheques that spells "foreign aid!" And as I said, I don't know much about the other things listed...but I wouldn't hold my breath and expect much from your list. The people behind the AIDS movement are obviously disappointed with the previous government! They were all given....lip service by lippy Chretien! Anyway, how long was Martin prime minister? What had he done other than that Apr, 2005 you've mentioned....quite timely for the coming election, wasn't it? Using AIDS to politicize is very hypocritical! And I do hope Margrace did not start this thread solely to use it as a convenient vehicle to draw criticism on the Tories.....

People die. What's the difference between dying of hunger, AIDS, other illness....it all spells the same thing: death! Stop being so melodramatic and be realistic! And playing favorites makes this whole good-samaritan thing really phoney! The best way is to find a cure...then everybody gets a dose of hope! Not just children from Africa!

Why? What makes you say that? Just how is he "continuing to let 18 million children die?" Does he have the cure? What is hypocritical is the usual leftie "selective-favoring" system whenever you want to play god. You see it all plastered in every media...from Angelina Jolie-to-George Clooney-to-Madonna....and all the lemmings follow suit. Let's face it. Africa is the leftie's current "flavor of the decade!" Why should you lobby only for African children? What's wrong with the other children of other poor countries all over the world? THAT'S what's so hypocritical about this!

I don't know about the other promises...but this one had been highly criticized. Apparently, not a single generic pill had been delivered! At least Stevie hasn't been making empty promises and doling out false hopes. What's good to hear does not necessarily mean it's going to do any good....if that's all it is: plain lip-service. Anyway, aren't we giving any foreign aid at all? Who sez we should solve all health problems on this whole planet?

Anyway Margrace, AIDS is not happening in Africa alone. Why are you leaving out Asia? Aren't children dying and being orphaned in Asia? You're being very indignant and righteous in accusing us all for turning a blind eye on the orphaned children of Africa. And yet, you are turning a blind eye on the people of Asia. We do not pretend to be otherwise...but you, in your accusatory stance pretends to moral superiority... a righteousness over us all. Who's actually falling under the definition of a hypocrite here?

Give me a break. Yet another person who seeks to advance a cause by abusing the English language. AIDS is a disease that affects all humans. It also happens to affect some societies more because different societies have different standards when it comes to sexual behavoir which the primary mechanism for the transmission of the disease. If people are dying in Africa because of AIDS then the primary blame rests with the local social institutions that made it extremely difficult to convince people to change their sexual behavoir. Implying that outsiders living in Western countries are some how to blame for this state of affairs is quite pathetic. Implying the people living in Western countries are committing some sort of 'genocide' because AIDS is killing people in Africa is simply absurd. Margrace is into one of her intense flagellation, guilt-heaping modes again....

Hypocrite - a pretender; A person who pretends what she or he is not. One who pretends to be better than is really so. So, how are we hypocrites?

But Arnold was spared. After all, he seems to have an affinity with trees....he is also known as "The Oak."

He's heavily into sequels! Therefore, just like what the recent election proved...., "I'll be back" shouldn't be taken so lightly.

REGARDLESS OF HIS COLOUR, you should've called and lodged a complaint right there and then. This man was letting a dog run around with no leash....and a rottweiller at that! Why would you wait for the "next time?" The next pedestrian might not be so lucky! Anyway....do you mean you're angry because the owner is white? A guy? Middlle aged? So....you also have something against gender and age?

I grew up in Ottawa and moved to GTA 2.5 years ago. Now I'm in Montreal for the week. I was speaking here with my fiances father last night (a 30 immigrant) and he actually recalled when all the samoli stuff went down in Ottawa. He remembers the whole thing. He said that the issue became too political so you don't here about it anymore. He said that there's more now than ever, they have more kids than every, and they are in Montreal now too but the media and news it's not socially acceptable to even talk about it so they just let the problem continue to happen. When there kids got older and became teens in the 90's, there were bus swarmings. And then they would always be at clubs harasing women, and causing trouble. I've seen so many bouncers have to kick them out while they yell out 'you racist white..' bleep. 5 years back I was at Deny's in Hunt Club and this table of Samoli's starting throwing french fries at our table. It was hiting the side of my friend head and stuff. There was like 10 of them all speaking their sht language. I didn't even regard them as humans - just human trash in Canada that we are giving free money to. That problem with Somalians had started happening way back in the early 90's as far as I can remember. My co-worker at the Civic Hospital would be griping to me as we work together. He was a young white dad and his neighborhood had suddenly been besieged by refugees/immigrants from Somalia. He did not have any problem with that...except that gangs were starting to form. Somalian youths in packs would intimidate whites....and he had to cross the street to avoid them. I could understand his anger. This was his neighborhood after all. This guy is not a racist at all! I could vouch for that! Canada should wake up and clean up its refugee/immigration policy. We can be humanitarian without having to trash our own house by allowing garbage to be brought in!

Still outside topic: who decides which country is right and which country is wrong? You may think his country is wrong...but he may think his country is right, and it is your country which is wrong.

Bravo. I look forward to reading. Ditto. Cheers everyone!