Maher Arar Inquiry

[maplesyrup]

Federal Maher Arar inquiry set to get underway

For many, the Arar case has become emblematic of the struggle to prevent human rights from being steamrollered by the formidable security machinery arrayed in the fight against violent Islamic extremists.

Arar, a 34-year-old Ottawa resident, was taken into custody by American authorities during a September 2002 stopover in New York as he returned from a family vacation in Tunisia.

Twelve days later, after being grilled about alleged links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network, the communications technology consultant was shackled and flown to Jordan aboard a private plane, then transferred to a prison in his birthplace of Syria.

Arar, who denies any involvement in terrorism, says he was beaten, tortured and forced into giving false confessions while locked in a tiny, grave-like cell for more than 10 months.

The federal government appointed Justice Dennis O'Connor to conduct the commission of inquiry amid persistent questions about what role Canadian officials played in the Arar affair.

Will this inquiry get to the truth?

[maplesyrup]

Heard of CSIS, CIA, RCMP? Time to meet TARC

In their murky battle against al-Qaeda and other extremist groups, Canadian agents meet a couple of times a month to identify their targets. A handful of top CSIS officials in Ottawa sit down with a colleague from the Justice Department to add to their list two or three new people they are going to spy on.

This is tricky business holding this inquiry.

[iamcanadian]

As long as those running the inquiry really want to find the truth. Otherwise, it will probably end up like the inquiry into the sponsorship scandal where nothing was accomplished other than to waste a whole lot of time, and probably more tax payers money.

[Bro]

Why are we wasting money on an inquiry?

Canadians did not detain him,Canadians did not torture him.

The problem started becuse of his dual citizenship.

If he had truly come to Canada to become a Canadian,

as many do,then give up the idea of dual citizenship.

Had he only had Canadian citizenship,the whole issue would have been avoided.Since 9/11,it is the discretion of security forces to use whatever papers they choose,regarding what ccountry you are from.

To put it simply,I don't agree that dual papers should be used in any instance.When you live in a country,that is who you are.If you want citizenship from another country,then you should move to that country.

[maplesyrup]

Why are we wasting money on an inquiry?

Canadians did not detain him,Canadians did not torture him.

The problem started becuse of his dual citizenship.

If he had truly come to Canada to become a Canadian,

as many do,then give up the idea of dual citizenship.

Had he only had Canadian citizenship,the whole issue would have been avoided.Since 9/11,it is the discretion of security forces to use whatever papers they choose,regarding what ccountry you are from.

To put it simply,I don't agree that dual papers should be used in any instance.When you live in a country,that is who you are.If you want citizenship from another country,then you should move to that country.

How do you know what Canada's involvement was?

I thought the purpose of the inquiry was to find out Canada's role?

[iamcanadian]

I completely agree with you Bro.

Not to mention most inquiries are complete waste of time and money, and in the end never truly resolve anything. Most public inquiries get so bogged down in partisan politics (Sponsorship Scandal is prime example) that nothing gets accomplished. In the end they just usually pick some unlucky scapegoat and blame the whole mess on the individual or small group of individuals.

[maplesyrup]

I completely agree with you Bro.

Not to mention most inquiries are complete waste of time and money, and in the end never truly resolve anything. Most public inquiries get so bogged down in partisan politics (Sponsorship Scandal is prime example) that nothing gets accomplished. In the end they just usually pick some unlucky scapegoat and blame the whole mess on the individual or small group of individuals.

I doubt very much you would be saying that if you were the one that was shipped off to Syria to be tortured.

[Bro]

Obviously I don't know all,just what I read in the many reports by the media,the liberal influenced media,so there could not have been any false reports.

The thing is I don't care.The dual citizenship papers caused his problems,and I believe you live in only one country at a time,and that should be the papers you carry.

As I stated,the whole fiasco was brought on by the dual papers.

[iamcanadian]

I doubt very much you would be saying that if you were the one that was shipped off to Syria to be tortured.

Yes maple you are right, it is something I could not experience because I am a canadian citizen.

But it still doesn't negate the fact that anything the government does is by in large costly and inefficient, and usually does not provide the results it was set out to do.

The simple truth of the matter is in the post 9/11 era people are more suspicious. It would be nice if the inquiry does provide the answers that the Arar family is looking for, but I truly doubt it will happen.

[Bro]

Does anybody know,now that she will not be a member of parliament for the NDP,are she and her husband still going to sue the Canadian government for 10 million in taxpayers dollars?

[maplesyrup]

She has a name - it is Monia Mazigh. The lawsuit was initiated prior to the election campaign.

What's your point?

[Bro]

My point is,and you just justified it more by your last post,why is she running for elected office to serve the Canadian people,and to serve means you should do it

by being fiscally responsible if you can,all the while contemplating a 10 million dollar lawsuit against the government,in essence,the taxpayer she is vowing to work for.

What is your point?

[maplesyrup]

Maher Arar has launched the lawsuit on the basis that he was sent to Syria to be tortured with the complicity of Canadian government employees.

Why shouldn't he sue if this is true?

How would you feel if this happened to you?

I am unclear what this has that got to do with Monia?

[Bro]

Maher Arar has launched the lawsuit on the basis that he was sent to Syria to be tortured with the complicity of Canadian government employees.

Why shouldn't he sue if this is true?

How would you feel if this happened to you?

I am unclear what this has that got to do with Monia?

Oh,so now it is a few government employees.

The original case was against the Canadian [liberal]government,hence the Canadian taxpayer,who she so wanted to serve as an NDP.

This would not have happened if he had Canadian[only]citizenship.

So,a husband ,whose wife is running for public office to

do what is best for all Canadians,is suing those very people for 10 million dollars,you don't see what she has to do with it.

You are not that gullible are you?Oh,wait ,you could be,you voted NDP,did you not?

[maplesyrup]

Right. Paul Martin personally put Maher on the plane back to Syria.

Give us a break.

[Bro]

Give me a break!

As I pointed out before,the whole issue was brought on by carrying dual citizenship papers.

He brought this on himself,albeit by the Canadian government allowing persons to hold dual papers.

Does this give him the right to sue the Canadian taxpayer for 10 million dollars because he can't decide what country he wants to call home?

No Canadian tortured him,no Canadian forced him to go back to Syria,no Canadian held him captive.His homeland of Syria put him under lock and key.

Is his wife running for office in Syria

to improve human rights,I don't think so.

Is she running here to improve the life of the average Canadian,maybe,but in any regard,it will cost us 10 million dollars,perhaps her interest in the Canadian people is not that genuine.

[maplesyrup]

Dual passports. Don't be ridiculous.

Thank goodness Maher is getting an inquiry.

You are absolutely full of it. You have no idea what happened, just like the rest of us.

Smarten up.

[playfullfellow]

As with most inquiries, a bunch of people will yell, accuse and then nothing will come of it. In all actuality, what does this have anything at all to do with the Candian government? From what I remember, didn't Canada go through all the proper channels to try and gain his freedom? If there is to be an inquiry, it should be towards some bonehead south of the border and that wouldn't mean spit to the US.

As for dual-citizenship, why shouldn't people be allowed to do so? We are Canadian citizens first and Canada is our home. All dual citizenship papers allow us to do is keep a little part of our heritage and allows us to travel a little more freely in our previous country. Dual-citizenship people know very well that carrying your country of origin papers is a risk. Heck, some countries (some countries with mandatory military enrollment) will throw you into the army for a year if you are caught doing something wrong in your country of origin. This also means if you are caught in a criminal act in your country of origin, then you will be tried as a citizen, not a foreign national.

[Bro]

As for dual-citizenship, why shouldn't people be allowed to do so? countries with mandatory military enrollment) will throw you into the army for a year if you are caught doing something wrong in your country of origin. This also means if you are caught in a criminal act in your country of origin, then you will be tried as a citizen, not a foreign national.

Sounds like a good reason not to carry dual papers if you go back to a country where they might treat you as one of their own.The nerve of those democratic loving friends of Canada.

No wonder the liberals won this election.

Any other party will,if they want to win an election,have to re-educate about 41%of the population.LOL

[playfullfellow]

Sounds like a good reason not to carry dual papers if you go back to a country where they might treat you as one of their own.

Thats a risk a person takes and it should be their own responsibility if they get into trouble. From what I have read, Arar was railroaded by some over zealous desk jockey in the US so his fight should not be with Canada. But then again, some whacked out judge somewhere might just agree with him. Stanger things have happened.

[Bro]

I agree with you pf,but an overzealous desk jockey would be expected given the time frame of the incident.

There are alot of whacked court decisions being handed out these days,whether it is the judge,or political correctness in order to keep their career,I haven't determined.

[maplesyrup]

RCMP routinely gave data to U.S., inquiry told

When Maher Arar was arrested by U.S. authorities and sent to Syria, it was accepted practice for the RCMP to give U.S. police and security agencies information about people who had done nothing wrong.

Arar's lawyer called that "very, very troubling."

[playfullfellow]

MS, everyones criminal record is checked if you get stopped at the border. This is nothing new, it has been going on for years and part of the reason why Canadian citizens can enter the US without a visa or passport. Can you imagine the mess if this was to stop?

[Bro]

Ms,what do you think of the beheaded Americans families

having an inquiry into what happened,should Canadians put as much effort into making sure these families get as much attention in the Canadian press as someone suing us for 10 million dollars is.I guess an American life is worrth less in your way of thinking.Are you sure you are not a liberal?Come on now,come clean,nobody will think any less of you.

[takeanumber]

Ms,what do you think of the beheaded Americans families

having an inquiry into what happened

That's a red herring.

And I think it's disgusting that you'd use the beheading of an American as a prop when it comes to this issue.

You're one sick puppy, Bro. Very sick.