Rob Oliphant calls on the Government to apologize and compensate Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad Abou-Elmaati and Muayyed Nureddin

For Immediate Release
June 18, 2009

OTTAWA – Rob Oliphant, Member of Parliament for Don Valley West, welcomed the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security Report tabled today in the House of Commons which calls on the Government of Canada to formally apologize and provide financial compensation to Messrs. Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad Abou-Elmaati and Muayyed Nureddin.  

Mr. Oliphant, a member of the Committee, has repeatedly brought this issue forward as an important public policy issue as well as a moral issue.  The Public Safety and National Security Committee has spent the last several months conducting an extensive study reviewing the findings of Justice O’Connor’s (Maher Arar) and Justice Iacobucci’s (Almalki, Abou-Elmaati, and Nureddin) inquiries.  These inquiries found that Canadian officials contributed to the torture of these men by sharing false information with foreign security agencies.

In addition to calling for an apology and financial compensation, the Report urges the Government to implement all recommendations from the O’Connor Commission, particularly the need for independent oversight of all national security activities.  The Committee calls for regular reports on the implementation of the recommendations, and for the Government to do whatever is necessary to remove the false allegations about the men, and their families, from national security agencies.  Finally, the Committee requested that the Minister of Public Safety issue regular ministerial directives prohibiting the exchange of information with countries where such could lead or contribute to the use of torture.

The Report received the support of all opposition members on the Committee, led by Liberal Party M.P.s Rob Oliphant, Mark Holland and Andrew Kania.  The five Conservative Members of Parliament did not support the Report, submitting a dissenting opinion arguing against the inclusion of an apology and the request for financial compensation for the three individuals.

Liberal M.P., Rob Oliphant made his feelings clear about this issue.  “Canadian citizenship is indivisible,” he said.  “The Conservative Government must immediately respect the rights of all Canadians and ensure they are protected.  Appropriate oversight of all agencies involved with public safety, intelligence and national security is an integral part of ensuring their rights.  And when those rights are not adequately protected, the Government must apologize and compensate those who have been victimized.” 

 

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Contact:
Noah Farber
Office of Rob Oliphant, M.P.
613-992-2855