Archive | December, 2010

Canadians "may underestimate security threat"

The Harper government is worried about Canadian opposition to its plans to more closely integrate Canadian and U.S. border security efforts (Steven Chase, “Ottawa crafts plan to ward off criticism over U.S. border deal,” Globe and Mail, 10 December 2010). As the Globe and Mail reports, the Department of Public Safety’s communications strategy for the […]

Commons supports nuclear disarmament

The House of Commons gave its unanimous consent to a motion in support of nuclear disarmament on December 7th. New Democrat MP Bill Siksay moved: That the House of Commons: (a) recognize the danger posed by the proliferation of nuclear materials and technology to peace and security; (b) endorse the statement, signed by 500 members, […]

"No one believes in Afghanistan any more"

European Union President Herman Van Rompuy told the United States in 2009 that “no one [in the EU] believes in Afghanistan any more,” according to a U.S. account of the meeting leaked by WikiLeaks (“‘No one believes in Afghanistan any more:’ EU leader in WikiLeaks cable,” Globe and Mail, 5 December 2010): U.S. Ambassador to […]

WikiLeaks: France went to bat for Omar Khadr

U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks on Wednesday reveal that France’s Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, asked the U.S. to consider releasing Omar Khadr from Guantanamo Bay. Kouchner, who played a founding role in the international humanitarian NGO Médecins sans frontières, personally asked U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to review Khadr’s case during a meeting in February […]