IN CANADA'S DEFENCE!!!

Canada's anti-terror measures criticized by UN
Lisa Schlein
Canadian Press
Thursday, November 03, 2005

GENEVA -- Canada's security certificate system which
enables the arrest, detention and expulsion of immigrants
and refugees on national security grounds may be in
breech of international law, the UN Human Rights
Committee says
"Not every administrative internment will automatically be a
violation, but in the context of the limited judicial review, that
is a serious problem," says Nigel Rodley, a British law
professor at Essex University and member of the committee.
The UN committee completed a two-week session and issued
its concluding observations and recommendations Thursday.
Periodic reports on four countries - Canada, Paraguay, Italy
and Brazil - are examined by 18 independent experts of the
committee, which monitors the implementation of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Regarding Canada's issuance of "security certificates,"
the committee says it is concerned that "some people have
been detained for several years without criminal charges,
without being adequately informed about the reasons for their
detention, and with limited judicial review."
The committee urges Canada to ensure "persons
suspected of terrorism or any other criminal offences"
are subject to judicial review and treated in accordance
with provisions against arbitrary detention.
Rodley says the committee was particularly upset by
allegations that Canadian security agencies "may have
been complicit in the possible detention abroad of
Canadian citizens or residents of foreign origins."
The committee made particular reference to the case of
Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen who was arrested in the
United States, deported to Syria and reportedly tortured.
Rodley says the committee is aware of other cases
where people may have been detained in Syria and
possibly sent on to Egypt. An inquiry is underway in
Canada into the Arar case, but Rodley said Canadian
officials "didn't confirm that the Arar inquiry would look
into the matter of these other cases."
Alan Kessel, legal adviser at the Department of Foreign
Affairs, told the committee:
"There was no government of Canada policy of
sub-contracting torture. The evidence did not show any
pattern of complicity of Canada with the detention of
Canadians abroad."
"The Anti-terrorism Act contains rigorous safeguards to
uphold the rights and freedoms of those affected by it,"
he said. "Canada saw no contradiction between protecting
security and protecting human rights."
The committee says a policy that allows the deportation
of people "to a country where they would face the risk of
torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" would
be in violation of international law. While appreciating
the firm denial by the Canadian delegation, the
committee said it is "concerned by allegations that
Canada may have co-operated with agencies known
to resort to torture with the aim of extracting information
from individuals detained in foreign countries."
"The prohibition of torture is absolute," Rodley says.
On other issues, the committee chides Canada for dragging its
feet on land claim negotiations with aboriginal groups.
It deplores the condition of women prisoners, in particular
aboriginal women, women belonging to ethnic minorities and
women with disabilities.
Rodley says the committee didn't like practice of employing
male front-line staff in institutions of detention for
women, calling it "a recipe for abuse."
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IN MY OPINION CANADA NEEDS TO DO AWAY
WITH DUAL CITENZENSHIP. FORCE ITS CITIZENS
TO CHOSE CANADA, WHERE THEY ARE FREE TO
PRACTICE THIER RELIGION AND CULTURES BUT
NOT FREE TO GO BACK TO THEIR COUNTRIES LIKE
IRAQ TO FIGHT WARS.
IF MR. Maher Arar CHOSE HIS ASSOCIATION WITH
AL QAEDA HE HAS TO SUFFER FOR THE
ASSOCIATION.
I AM AN INFIDEL AS THEY BELIEVE AND AM NOT
READY TO DIE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE MY LIFE
IS WORTH SHIT TO THEM.
CANADA MUST REMOVE ALL TERRORIST FROM
THEIR MIDST AS WELL AS THEY REMOVE OTHER
NATIONALITIES OF CRIME
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