Tag Archives: Torture of Afghan detainees

Discontent in the prorogue state

Two public opinion polls released on Thursday show that Canadians are not happy about the Prime Minister’s decision to prorogue Parliament until March 3rd. According to the poll conducted by EKOS Research Associates, 67% of Canadians are aware of the decision to prorogue Parliament (including 52% “clearly aware”), and those who are aware of it […]

Canadians unhappy with Harper on climate change

A new Angus Reid poll shows that Canadians are generally unhappy with the results of last month’s Climate Change Summit (press release; full report). According to the poll, 48% of Canadians are dissatisfied with Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s performance at the conference (including 33% who are very dissatisfied), while only 28% are satisfied (9% very […]

Treatment of prisoners not Roman problem: Pilate

Perhaps inspired by the Christmas season, Prime Minister Harper has reached back into biblical history for a new answer to the torture allegations dogging his government. Channelling the infamous Roman governor of Judea, the Prime Minister argued earlier this week that if Canadians hand detainees over to Afghan authorities and those detainees are subsequently mistreated, […]

Natynczyk reversal adds to pressure for torture inquiry

Chief of Defence Staff General Walter Natynczyk dropped a bombshell in Ottawa on Wednesday, admitting that a prisoner taken by Canadian soldiers in 2006 had in fact been in Canadian custody prior to his transfer to and subsequent severe beating by Afghan authorities.  Earlier this week, Natynczyk had testified to parliament’s National Defence committee that […]

Call for ICC investigation of Canadian military and diplomats

UBC Professor Michael Byers and human rights expert Professor William A. Schabas of the National University of Ireland have called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to expand its preliminary examination of alleged war crimes by Canadian officials in and related to Afghanistan. In a letter  written to ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo on 3 December, […]