Motion orders Tories to release Afghanistan documents

[Spazito]

OTTAWA — The contentious issue of Afghanistan prisoner abuse and the Tory government's propensity to withhold documents on the issue won't be going away any time soon, even though Parliament is on vacation.

Before leaving for their Christmas break Thursday, opposition parties passed a rare motion ordering the minority government to release confidential records on enemy prisoners.

The Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois passed the Commons motion 145-143 demanding the release of thousands of uncensored documents on the issue.

In the likely event the Conservatives ignore the order, the opposition could vote to find the government in contempt, setting the stage for a battle over the limits of parliamentary privilege.

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http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091211/afghanistan_motion_091211/20091211?hub=TopStoriesV2


Keeping the heat on the POS CRAP!

[ConcernedCanuk]

1. Update - - "Tories to ignore vote on releasing prisoner reports"

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at the same link as the OP

The Harper government is citing concern over security as reason to ignore a parliamentary vote passed by opposition MPs Friday, demanding it release uncensored information on Afghan prisoners.

International Trade Minister Stockwell Day says the government will follow a law that allows it to not release information on security grounds.

"The law is very clear that if there are elements of security, elements that could affect the security of our soldiers or civilians, then information will be protected," said Day, who also chairs the federal committee on Afghanistan.

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Is our government not sounding more and more like the USA?

sure sounds familiar . .

(sigh)

[Spazito]

2. It's time for the Opposition parties to put up or shut up, imo

To allow this flagrant disrespect for Parliament on the part of the Harper cabal to go unchallenged would be disastrous for the parties as well as for Canadians. The Opposition needs to take the fight ALL the way on this, imo.

And, yes, this sounds VERY familiar but it's not surprising since baby bush is Harper's idol and he would love to import into Canada all that was done by bush in the U.S.

[RedSock]

3. put up or shut up -- indeed

James Laxer:

This is the hallmark of the Harper government. When its members are pushed into a tight corner, they lash out at critics and political opponents, labeling them unpatriotic cretins who prefer the Taliban to Canada's brave soldiers. ...

Even when they have been exposed as incompetents or liars engaged in a deliberate cover-up, the members of this government concede nothing. As far as they are concerned, there will be no independent inquiry into the detainee scandal.

Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay are cynically talking out the clock. The House of Commons is about to rise for the Christmas recess and will not sit again until the end of January. By that time, they hope, Canadians will have moved on to other concerns. ...

Harper and his colleagues believe that if they hunker down and stick to their line, nothing will harm them. They cynically believe that torture in Afghanistan is an issue that only concerns a few pointy-heads, not the majority of double-double drinking Canadians.

The Harper Gang has been telling Parliament to FU for years.

For example, they have ignored two separate motions passed by the House to allow Iraq war resisters/deserters to remain in Canada.