Omar Khadr: Still no closure to dark chapter in Canadian history
Recently, two major events received attention in the mainstream media. Both events left their marks on Canada’s human rights reputation. Canada’s actions (or inactions) and positions with respect to these two matters will undoubtedly be judged by the history books.
The first event is the possible return of Omar Khadr to Canada. After spending more than eight years in Guantanamo, and after he has suffered torture and psychological harassment since he was 15, Omar Khadr entered a ‘plea bargain’ in return for an eight-year sentence. Part of the deal was an implicit diplomatic agreement that Canada would recommend his transfer after one year…
The other major event that made news two weeks ago is the closing of the Kingston Immigration Holding Centre, also known as Guantanamo North among human rights activists. Despite the fact that this prison was so controversial, its closure went by quietly and slipped under the radar.
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