Thursday, October 15, 2009

Afghan Detainees could be Federal Election Issue


Golly, I hope Chris Alexander, Canada's former ambassador to Afghanistan, gets nominated for the federal Conservatives in Ajax-Pickering.

If he does, maybe some light will be shed on what the Harper government knew, and when they knew it, on the possible torture and abuse of Afghan detainees.

Mr. Alexander was in Afghanistan in May 2006 when Richard Colvin, another Canadian diplomat, warned the Conservative government that there “serious, imminent and alarming” problems with the surrender of Afghan detainees to Afghan officials and jailers.

The Conservative government denied (and continues to deny) knowledge of torture or abuse of Afghan detainees handed over by Canadian troops to Afghan officials.

Hon. Helena Geurgis, Rahim Jaffer's better half, affirmed that the Harper government knew nothing about these allegations on May 1, 2007:

"Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member has specific evidence for these allegations we would be happy to receive it. I do not know why he would continue to hold onto it if he had something that our brave Canadian men and women and the Afghan police have no evidence of whatsoever, with no specific evidence to support any of these allegations."

So either the Harper government or former diplomat Chris Alexander are incompetent, or they don't care. Or both.

If Mr. Alexander wins the Conservative nomination, he'll be forced to either tow the party line and side with Harper's version that they knew nothing, or he'll defend the word of one of his diplomatic colleagues.

comments

1 Response to "Afghan Detainees could be Federal Election Issue"
  1. Anonymous said...
    December 20, 2009 at 7:34:00 p.m. MST

    Our dollar is now on par with USD.
    Has it occurred to anyone the reason auto companies went under (all manufacturing) in Canada was because Unions keep bullying their employers for more money and less work? When there is no longer profit for the company, they go under or elsewhere.
    Unfortunately public "servants" (the public has become the servants) are still able to threaten, demand and bully the Government, causing further inflation.
    The point is: lack of manufacturing & forcing TWO languages on labels is why English speaking Canada pays MUCH more for all imported products.

 
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