Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2008-06-09 19:00:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Laurie Hawn (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, CPC)",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"1149064\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, as we know well by now, Omar Khadr was captured by U.S. forces in July 2002 following hostilities in which he allegedly killed a U.S. medic with a grenade. He is also alleged to have been laying improvised explosive devices, IEDs, on roads known to be used by coalition forces. I note that Mr. Khadr was captured during hostilities in Afghanistan, a country where Canadian troops are risking their lives every day.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149065\" data-originallang=\"en\">I also note that Mr. Khadr was transferred to Guantanamo Bay in October 2002. I was not present in Parliament at the time, nor was the Conservative Party in government. Perhaps the member's colleagues in the Liberal Party could provide some insight into the developments at that time.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149066\" data-originallang=\"en\">We must recognize that Mr. Khadr faces serious charges as a result of these actions. We must also acknowledge that he is alleged to have been an active member of al-Qaeda. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149067\" data-originallang=\"en\">As a result of his alleged activities in Afghanistan, he is charged before a U.S. military commission with murder in violation of the law of war, attempted murder in violation of the law of war, conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism, and spying.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149068\" data-originallang=\"en\">The Government of Canada takes seriously its responsibilities for the safety and security of its citizens abroad. When Canadian citizens find themselves in difficult situations in a foreign country, it is the mandate of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to ensure that they are treated fairly and that they are afforded due process under the applicable local laws.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149069\" data-originallang=\"en\">However, the judicial process for a Canadian who is arrested outside of Canada is governed by the laws and regulations of another country and not by Canadian law. If a Canadian citizen breaks the laws of another country, he or she is subject to the judicial system of that country. In this regard, the choice of systems put in place to try detainees in Guantanamo Bay is a matter for the relevant U.S. authorities to decide.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149070\" data-originallang=\"en\">In light of the fact that Mr. Khadr was a minor at the time of his alleged offences, we have continuously demanded that the U.S. government take his age into account in all aspects of his detention, treatment, prosecution and potential sentencing, in particular, demanding that he not be subject to the death penalty. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149071\" data-originallang=\"en\">Due to these efforts, the Canadian government has received unequivocal assurances from U.S. authorities that Mr. Khadr will not be subject to the death penalty.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149072\" data-originallang=\"en\">The government has received assurances that Mr. Khadr is being treated humanely and has repeatedly inquired into his well-being when allegations were made of mistreatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149073\" data-originallang=\"en\">Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs have carried out regular welfare visits with Mr. Khadr and will continue to do so. Their interventions have resulted, for example, in Mr. Khadr's move from a maximum security facility to a communal minimum security facility within Guantanamo Bay, in approved medical treatment, as well as in phone calls with his family.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149074\" data-originallang=\"en\">In addition to the ongoing process before a U.S. military commission, Mr. Khadr's case is subject to multiple and complex litigation both in Canada and the U.S. As such, it would not be appropriate to speculate on the potential outcome of cases currently before the court. I will note that former minister Graham said these very things previously.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149075\" data-originallang=\"en\">That being said, Canada strongly believes that the fight against terrorism must be carried out in compliance with international law, including established standards of human rights and due process.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149076\" data-originallang=\"en\">We will continue to monitor this matter as it develops.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"1149064\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, comme nous le savons tous maintenant, Omar Khadr a \u00e9t\u00e9 captur\u00e9 par les forces am\u00e9ricaines en juillet 2002 \u00e0 la suite d'un affrontement pendant lequel il aurait pr\u00e9tendument tu\u00e9 un technicien m\u00e9dical am\u00e9ricain avec une grenade. Il aurait aussi plac\u00e9 des dispositifs explosifs de circonstance le long de routes utilis\u00e9es par les forces de la coalition. Je souligne que M. Khadr a \u00e9t\u00e9 captur\u00e9 en Afghanistan, un pays o\u00f9 des soldats canadiens risquent leur vie chaque jour.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149065\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je souligne aussi que M. Khadr a \u00e9t\u00e9 transf\u00e9r\u00e9 \u00e0 Guantanamo Bay en octobre 2002. Je n'\u00e9tais pas d\u00e9put\u00e9 \u00e0 l'\u00e9poque et le Parti conservateur n'\u00e9tait pas au pouvoir. Peut-\u00eatre que les coll\u00e8gues lib\u00e9raux du d\u00e9put\u00e9 pourraient nous \u00e9clairer quant \u00e0 la situation \u00e0 l'\u00e9poque.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149066\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il faut avouer que les gestes pos\u00e9s par M. Khadr l'exposent \u00e0 des accusations graves. Il faut aussi reconna\u00eetre qu'il est soup\u00e7onn\u00e9 d'avoir \u00e9t\u00e9 un membre actif d'Al-Qa\u00efda.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149067\" data-originallang=\"en\">En raison de ses activit\u00e9s soup\u00e7onn\u00e9es en Afghanistan, il est accus\u00e9 par une commission militaire am\u00e9ricaine de meurtre en contravention au droit de la guerre, de tentative de meurtre en contravention au droit de la guerre, de complot, d'appui substantiel au terrorisme et d'espionnage.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149068\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le gouvernement du Canada prend tr\u00e8s au s\u00e9rieux ses responsabilit\u00e9s \u00e0 l'\u00e9gard de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des citoyens canadiens \u00e0 l'\u00e9tranger. Lorsque des citoyens canadiens se trouvent dans des situations difficiles \u00e0 l'\u00e9tranger, le minist\u00e8re des Affaires \u00e9trang\u00e8res et du Commerce international a pour mandat de s'assurer qu'ils sont trait\u00e9s avec justice et qu'il peuvent se pr\u00e9valoir de tous les recours pr\u00e9vus dans les lois du pays o\u00f9 ils se trouvent.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149069\" data-originallang=\"en\">Cependant, le processus judiciaire auquel est soumis un Canadien arr\u00eat\u00e9 \u00e0 l'ext\u00e9rieur du Canada est r\u00e9gi par les lois et r\u00e8glements d'un autre pays et pas ceux du Canada. Lorsqu'un citoyen enfreint la loi dans un autre pays, il est jug\u00e9 par le syst\u00e8me judiciaire de ce pays. \u00c0 cet \u00e9gard, le choix des syst\u00e8mes mis en place pour juger les d\u00e9tenus de Guantanamo Bay rel\u00e8ve des autorit\u00e9s am\u00e9ricaines.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149070\" data-originallang=\"en\">\u00c9tant donn\u00e9 que M. Khadr \u00e9tait mineur au moment des infractions all\u00e9gu\u00e9es, nous avons constamment demand\u00e9 au gouvernement des \u00c9tats-Unis de tenir compte de son \u00e2ge dans tous les aspects de sa d\u00e9tention, de son traitement, des poursuites et des peines qui pourraient lui \u00eatre inflig\u00e9es et tout particuli\u00e8rement, nous avons demand\u00e9 qu'il ne soit pas soumis \u00e0 la peine de mort.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149071\" data-originallang=\"en\">En raison des efforts d\u00e9ploy\u00e9s, le gouvernement du Canada a re\u00e7u des autorit\u00e9s am\u00e9ricaines l'assurance claire que M. Khadr ne sera pas condamn\u00e9 \u00e0 la peine capitale.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149072\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le gouvernement a re\u00e7u l'assurance que M. Khadr \u00e9tait trait\u00e9 humainement et s'est inform\u00e9 \u00e0 maintes reprises de son bien-\u00eatre lorsque des all\u00e9gations de mauvais traitements contre les d\u00e9tenus de Guantanamo Bay ont \u00e9t\u00e9 formul\u00e9es.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149073\" data-originallang=\"en\">Des fonctionnaires du minist\u00e8re des Affaires \u00e9trang\u00e8res ont r\u00e9guli\u00e8rement rendu visite \u00e0 M. Khadr et continueront de le faire. Leur intervention a permis, par exemple, que M. Khadr soit transf\u00e9r\u00e9 d'une installation \u00e0 s\u00e9curit\u00e9 maximale \u00e0 une installation \u00e0 s\u00e9curit\u00e9 minimale, toujours \u00e0 Guantanamo Bay, qu'il ait droit \u00e0 un traitement m\u00e9dical approuv\u00e9 et qu'il puisse t\u00e9l\u00e9phoner \u00e0 sa famille.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149074\" data-originallang=\"en\">En plus du processus en cours devant une commission militaire am\u00e9ricaine, le cas de M. Khadr est au centre de litiges multiples et complexes tant au Canada qu'aux \u00c9tats-Unis. Comme tel, il ne convient pas de sp\u00e9culer sur l'issue des causes actuellement devant les tribunaux. Je souligne que l'ancien ministre Graham a d\u00e9clar\u00e9 les m\u00eames choses pr\u00e9c\u00e9demment.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149075\" data-originallang=\"en\">Cela \u00e9tant dit, le Canada croit fermement que la lutte contre le terrorisme doit \u00eatre men\u00e9e conform\u00e9ment au droit international, y compris pour ce qui est des normes \u00e9tablies \u00e0 l'\u00e9gard des droits de la personne et des recours.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1149076\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous continuerons de suivre l'\u00e9volution du cas de M. Khadr.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2008/6/9/laurie-hawn-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/laurie-hawn/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/441/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "2519779",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Adjournment Proceedings",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "h3": {
        "en": "Omar Khadr",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2008/6/9/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2008%2F6%2F9%2F"
    }
}