Rob Oliphant calls on Conservative Government to immediately apologize and compensate Ahmad Elmaati

For Immediate Release
March 2, 2010

OTTAWA – Last week, the Honourable Justice Frank Iacobucci issued a supplement to the public report he prepared following his Inquiry into the detention and torture of three Canadians, Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad Abou-Elmaati and Muayyed Nureddin.  This supplement, which focused on the detention of Mr. Elmaati in Egypt, includes evidence held back from the original report on October 21, 2008.  Citing national security concerns, the Conservative Government refused to allow this information to be published.  The release of the supplement today obviously indicates that no such threat ever truly existed.

Rob Oliphant, Member of Parliament for Don Valley West and Member of the Standing Committee for Public Safety and National Security, welcomes the release of the supplement.  “This report contains clear evidence that the actions of Government agencies contributed to the torture of Ahmad Abou-Elmaati, a constituent of mine in Don Valley West, at the hands of a foreign government,” Oliphant said.  “I am outraged that the Government has refused to act in good faith.  There has been no apology.  There has been no legitimate attempt to negotiate fair compensation.  There has been no commitment to ensuring this will not happen to other innocent Canadians in the future,” said Oliphant. 

The Standing Committee for Public Safety and National Security studied the implementation of recommendations stemming from the inquiries done by Justices Frank Iacobucci and Dennis O’Connor last spring.  The resulting report found that, despite the Inquiries’ recommendations, the Government has still not acted to implement national oversight mechanisms and improve overall coordination among all foreign affairs and national security agencies.  The committee also called on the Government to apologize and compensate Mr. Abou-Elmaati along with Abdullah Almalki and Muayyed Nureddin, also Canadian citizens who had been tortured abroad.  The call for an apology and compensation were supported by the majority in the House of Commons in a vote on December 3, 2009.

 “I call on the Conservative Government to honour the majority will of Canadians by apologizing and negotiating, in good faith, a fair and reasonable settlement with these Canadians.”  Mr. Oliphant added.  “Prior offers at a negotiated settlement have been an insult to the suffering these men underwent.”

“This is yet another attempt by this Conservative Government to ignore the Charter rights of a Canadian citizen.  The Government was found to clearly be in the wrong; it is time for them to work with Mr. Elmaati and bring and end to this painful ordeal.  Equally, this government needs to recognize that all Canadian citizens, regardless of their country of origin, race, or religion deserve support and protection, not discrimination and neglect while in Canada and abroad,” concluded Oliphant. 

-30-

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