Detainee Issue

Posted March 9, 2010

By now we all know that Prime Minister Harper has appointed Justice Iacobucci to conduct an internal inquiry into the detainee matter. The Liberals and the NDP say the government's appointment of a retired justice to review the controversial Afghan detainee documents is not enough and are calling for a full public inquiry into the matter.

Well let us stop wasting time and let me advise the opposition parties of the following:

Under the Federal Inquiries Act, the Governor-in-Council has sole power to call a public inquiry. The “Governor-in-Council” is the person or body that holds executive power in the government. Theoretically, this is considered to be the Canadian monarchy and its representatives in Canada, namely the Governor General of Canada. In practice, however, executive power lies with the federal Cabinet.

Can I advise the opposition parties to refer this matter to the Governor General if they truly want a Public Inquiry and leave P.M. Harper to play his hand at totalitarianism? Messieurs Ignatieff and Layton the more important issues are as follows:

1.      The use of proroguing as a means of usurping the democratic process - what action will parliament now take in reforming and minimizing the impact of this political maneuver?

2.      The Omar Khadr matter is critical in defining citizenship and the individual’s right to seek justice from its birth nation. This matter makes a mockery of the Charter of Rights and redefines the constitutional meaning of citizenship. What is being done to rectify this matter?

3.      That while war may be politically created, torture must be seen to be politically correct. The paradox is that murder provides instant justification while torture provides gratification. We need neither and Canada must revert to its traditional role of peace-keeping.

I hope we can get past what has happened and find ways of rebuilding our democracy. In the end we are ALL guilty of idly standing by and accepting mediocrity from our government officials and ineptitude from ourselves. Citizenship can be worse than torture if we strive to live in a democracy plagued by corruption.

Thank you,
Joseph Pede