Canadian govt denies passport to Pak citizen

[tuvor]

TORONTO: Canada has denied a Pakistani-born Canadian citizen a passport because of national security concerns, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said. Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay refused a passport to Abdurahman Khadr, 23, whose family has alleged ties to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network.

MacKay's decision comes even though a federal court judge ordered Ottawa to cease denying the former terrorism suspect his travel document.

"Minister MacKay has taken his decision based on national security according to his powers and responsibilities," Harper said on Wednesday. "Mr. Khadr has the right to appeal that decision."

Khadr's attorney, Clayton Ruby, declined to comment when reached on Wednesday.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1941670.cms

[MrPrax]

1. As Cretin would say:

"A proof is a proof is a proof"

My understanding of 'western values' is that if we accuse somebody of something and take away their rights, then the burden of proof is upon the State and they are to go before a Judge. Funny story...they did and the judge said 'fuck you, Tories'...

So now we have the Harperites pulling a Bush and ignoring the courts, the Charter and human rights

So Harpers take peoples' rights away just because...he can.

Hopefully the Khadrs will sue the shit out of Canada as a lesson to it's government; put up or shut up and stop hiding behind 'national security'.

[Canadian_moderate]

3. I thought his father was Egyptian?

I'm pretty sure they're not Pakistani, unless they were naturalized citizens.

[MrPrax]

4. Your point? n/t

[Canadian_moderate]

5. I wasn't making a point

I simply thought they had Egyptian citizenship.

If he has renounced terrorism and has Canadian nationality, then he should be entitled to a Canadian passport. That said, if he is considered a security threat to Canadians or people abroad, then maybe the government has a valid reason to deny him a passport and protect the integrity of our passports. The Canadian passport is one of the mosty abused documents to the point that other countries become very suspious of people some people who travel under our nationality.

Even with a Canadian passport, Abdurahman Khadr will find it very difficult to travel freely given his family's history and close involvement with Al-Qaeda. If he truly denounces terrorism, I don't envy his situation. What a horrible family to be born into.

[IntravenousDemilo]

2. I think he's a Can citizen, rather than a Pak citizen.

That's where the controversy lies. The Canadian government is not in the business of issuing passports to citizens of other countries, but Khadr is a Pakistan-born Canadian citizen who was never actually charged with a crime, so he should have been eligible.