Our supporters are wonderful!
Please read these great letters from Deb Innes and Stephanie Gilman, both constituents in Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre’s Carleton riding. They are responding to his circulation of a letter encouraging constituents to sign a petition in protest of Omar’s settlement (see below). They state that his poisonous message reflects a disturbing ignorance of the facts and criticise his party’s shameful politicalisation of the recent settlement.
Both letters here:
Letter Deb Innes:
“I will definitely NOT sign the petition as I totally disagree. I do not think you should be using the term ‘confessed terrorist’ for a confession achieved through torture. I thought Canada was a better place that did not condone torture and the often false confessions it elicits. I have no idea if he threw that grenade or not, but I know he was a child stuck in a situation not of his own making. I have a 15 year old son and I can’t imagine the same for him. It horrifies me to think of what he went through before that battle and after.
I feel that the Conservative party is making this payment a political statement, which it should not be, and trying to gain votes as many people do not know the whole story. All people hear, from your party and others, is that the liberals are paying a ‘confessed terrorist’. I am ashamed to live in your riding when you send out emails like this.
Please spend your time trying to make the world a better place instead of wasting time writing emails like the one below,
Deb Innes”
Letter Stephanie Gilman:
Mr. Pierre Poilievre,
What I find completely unacceptable is your use of the words ‘confessed terrorist’. Omar Khadr was a tortured child soldier whose confession was achieved through means defined as torture by the United Nations Convention Against Torture, of which Canada is a signatory. Therefore, his confession is not to be given any credence.
Through UNICEF Canada, the Canadian government supports the rehabilitation of child soldiers who have done unspeakable acts in various sub-Sahara African countries. However, it seems that as Khadr is convicted of killing an American, various groups think he should be labelled a terrorist.
The Canadian government ignored its citizen, Omar Khadr, while he was tortured at Guantanamo. For these crimes, the Canadian government must pay restitution. I agree that payment is unfortunate, but it is the only way to make restitution for the government’s abhorrent treatment of Khadr. Acceptance of responsibility and an apology would also be a step forward.
Precedent has been set by the Canadian government for paying for its mistakes in wrongful conviction, eg. David Milgaard and Steven Truscott. Khadr lost 13 years of his life largely due to the Canadian government’s unwillingness to defend a Canadian citizen held illegally in a United States controlled facility. I think that Canada is getting off easy.
I would hope the government learns from its mistakes and does not further this debacle nor repeats its lack of support for other Canadian citizens detained abroad. Your email, however, leads me to believe that a Conservative government would be unwilling to learn.
I am forwarding your horrendous and self-aggrandizing email to as many of your constituents as possible. It is a continuation of the various bandwagons on which you have jumped in an attempt to further your own political interests. I hope that your constituents take the time to share their views with you.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Gilman
…………………………………………………………………………………..
LETTER FROM POILIEVRE TO CONSTITUENTS
Trudeau government quietly paid
$10.5 million to Omar Khadr
Dear Friend,
Last week, the Liberal government was caught quietly giving convicted and confessed terrorist Omar Khadr $10.5 million of taxpayers’ money.
This is reprehensible. Canadian taxpayers did not force Omar Khadr to fight for the Taliban in Afghanistan, nor did we imprison him in Guantanamo Bay. Additionally, Canadian soldiers who are injured or killed in combat receive a maximum Disability Award of $360,000 - or just 3.4% of what the Trudeau government awarded Khadr.
So why do WE need to pay him $10.5 million?
What is most amazing is that the Supreme Court did NOT rule that the government was required to pay Khadr - it was a political decision by Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal cabinet. Trudeau insulted the many Canadians who fought and died combating the Taliban.
If you disagree with Justin Trudeau’s decision to pay Khadr $10.5 million, click here to sign the petition.
Sincerely,
Hon. Pierre Poilievre, PC, MP
Carleton
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