Top court to rule on Khadr case

[CHIMO]

Source: Globe and Mail

After tying Parliament and the justice system in knots for seven years, the Omar Khadr case reaches a crescendo Friday as the Supreme Court of Canada considers ordering the federal government to seek his return.

Should the court uphold a 2008 Federal Court of Canada decision, the 23-year-old Canadian could soon be on his way home from the terrorist internment camp at Guantanamo Bay.

However, federal lawyers intend to fight Mr. Khadr every inch of the way. In a scathing brief to the court, they call the Federal Court of Canada order to seek Mr. Khadr's return “an unprecedented and unprincipled remedy.”

The government will be opposed by a phalanx of lawyers for Mr. Khadr and organizations that support him. They condemn Canada for being a party to the torture of a citizen who was conscripted into the al-Qaeda terrorist network as a child soldier.



Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/top-court-to-rule-on-khadr-case/article1359969/

[Spazito]

1. Good, I am glad the Supreme Court has taken this....

thanks for the post, it's appreciated.

[HeresyLives]

2. Harper has warned the SOC to watch their step.

OTTAWA — The Harper government is warning the Supreme Court of Canada against becoming the first court in the western world to declare that a government has a legal duty to protect its citizens detained abroad.


Federal lawyers, in written arguments filed in advance of a Friday hearing in the case of Omar Khadr, say that courts in England, Australia and South Africa have all rejected the principle that governments are obligated to intervene, diplomatically or otherwise, to help citizens in trouble with the law on foreign soil.


"Canadian courts should not be used to lobby the government to exercise its discretion in a particular way," says the Justice Department's legal brief.

http://www.canada.com/news/SCOC+warned+make+precedent+setting+Khadr+ruling/2211564/story.html

[CHIMO]

3. Just Another Bush

Type of strongarming.

Recent jousting between the GG and Harper about who is the boss.

Harper is pushing the limits now. The military is not taking orders from his PMO.

Soldiers out of Kandahar by 2011: defence chief
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/11/10/natynczyk-afghanistan.html
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 | 5:19 PM ET

[struggle4progress]

4. Legal bill to battle Khadr $1.3 million and counting (Oct 09)

NDP critic says Ottawa is 'in denial' as costs and court defeats pile up

Taxpayers are on the hook for more than $1.3 million in legal fees incurred by the federal government in its legal battle against Toronto-born Omar Khadr.

Documents show Ottawa has spent $1,335,342.37 fighting the alleged Al Qaeda child soldier over the past seven years, and there are more legal costs ahead ...

http://www.thestar.com/specialsections/omarkhadr/article/718489--legal-bill-to-battle-khadr-1-3-million-and-counting?bn=1

[struggle4progress]

5. Supreme Court warned not to make precedent-setting Khadr ruling

Janice Tibbetts, Canwest News Service Published: Wednesday, November 11, 2009

OTTAWA -- The Harper government is warning the Supreme Court of Canada against becoming the first court in the western world to declare that a government has a legal duty to protect its citizens detained abroad.

Federal lawyers, in written arguments filed in advance of a Friday hearing in the case of Omar Khadr, say that courts in England, Australia and South Africa have all rejected the principle that governments are obligated to intervene, diplomatically or otherwise, to help citizens in trouble with the law on foreign soil.

"Canadian courts should not be used to lobby the government to exercise its discretion in a particular way," says the Justice Department's legal brief ...

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2211578