Addressing Some Issues...

This message was sent to us anonymously today. Following Anonymous' post is our response:

Anonymous said...
You can have as many rallies,meetings ,facebook profiles and what will the end result be? The governments,,,Harper,Chretien and Martin have ALL ignored your pleas and petitions...Khadr will face trial in the States and there isn't a damn thing your groups can do about it ..I would find a better use for your time than to supplicate for a murdering terrorist thug like KHADR(include his family in there) You put a lot of faith in Obama that he would do the right thing...He has...A military panel will review KHADR's file ,and probably reccommend Khadr face trial for his crim es ...Khadr is accused of murder,among other charges,(he did'nt jaywalk you know!)OH .by the way Khadr will get his due p[rocess,but,It will be in an American court before an American judge..not a bleeding heart Canadian judge......

MARCH 13, 2009 7:50 AM


RESPONSE TO ANONYMOUS

Dear Anonymous,

My name is Clint Grant. I am an organizer of Canada for Khadr, and I will answer your message. Our group's number one priority is to open dialogue about the Khadr case. However, it must be clear, the purpose of this blog is to update our followers on the progress of our Vigil, and only that. If you wish to argue with us about our position, I will provide you with an email address at which you can talk to us.

We appreciate you coming forth with your opinion, however, your position is only that: an opinion. Canada for Khadr's position is based solely in fact, and what is mandated by law in Canada and in International governing bodies. I will now outline why you may be misinformed.

1. "Harper, Chretien and Martin have all ignored your pleas and petitions...Khadr will face trial in the States and there isn't a damn thing your group can do about it..."

Chretien and Martin didn't ignore our please because our group wasn't operating during their administrations. We started operating during Harper's administration, and He certainly hasn't ignored us. We sent a letter outlining our position which he promptly responded to. There's no excuse for the failure of Chretien and Martin to uphold the protections guaranteed to Canadians under the Charter, however, things are changing in favour of our position. Not only have all the major Parliamentary opposition parties taken our side on this issue, but our efforts have helped swing public opinion in favour of our position. While others spend their time discouraging Canadian citizens from supporting Canadian and international law, our group has been dialoguing and collaborating with thousands of Canadians who otherwise wouldn't have known about the circumstances concerning Omar. Thankfully, the vast majority of Canadian public supports our position. Here's the link: (link) We have also taught university lectures on the issue, gone on speaking tours in high schools, and dialogued with key figures in the case. While a few pessimists say there's nothing we can do about this, it seems to me we've already done a lot about this!


2. "...than to supplicate for a murdering terrorist thug like KHADR..."

You speak as though you have a first-hand account of the firefight involving Omar on July 27, 2002.
We weren't there that day, but we do know what protections and rights Canadians are guaranteed under our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This is where we diverge: while you rely on uninformed opinions regarding Khadr, we ask to have the truth found in a manner that follows the rules of due process in a competent court of law. No judge or court of law has ever deemed Omar a terrorist or murderer, and it cannot rightfully be said so until he is properly tried.

"... Khadr will get his due p[rocess,but,It will be in an American court before an American judge..not a bleeding heart Canadian judge......"

It has already been seven years of Omar's detention without due process, so when will Khadr 'get his due process'? For those who are unaware of what due process is, it is a specific code of behaviour to be abided by those detaining a prisoner from the very moment the suspect is captured. This includes the right to know your charges within 24 hours of arrest, and prompt access to legal assistance. Omar was not given charges until 2 months after the start of his detention. He was not permitted access to lawyers until nearly 2 years after the start of his detention. Due process was not given to khadr from the first day of his detention.

For those who wish to read what protections Canadians are guaranteed, I reccomend you read the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. If you wish to see why Omar must be tried in Canada, check out the University of Toronto Legal Society's compilation of relevant articles concerning the khadr case. Their compilation provides an authoritative outline of what has been happening concerning the khadr case: (link)

I hope my response clarifies our view regarding this case. Please keep in mind this blog is for the explicit purpose of organizing the Vigil. We enjoy dialoguing about the Khadr case, and if you wish to do so, please contact us at canada4khadr@live.com