OT~Arar to receive multimillion-dollar settlement

[drag n' fly]

This poor fellow has been through so much and completely exonerated however the United States continue to have him on a watch list. The complete and utter arrogance of U.S. ambassador David Wilkins is astounding. I hope this money at least allows him and his family to live comfortably.



Arar to receive multimillion-dollar settlement: CTV
Updated Thu. Jan. 25 2007 11:34 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff



Ottawa will announce a multimillion dollar compensation package for Maher Arar on Friday, CTV News has learned.

The package includes personal compensation of more than $10 million, a $2-million payment for Arar's legal fees, and an official apology, CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reported.

 

[nosnobunny2006]

I have no comment on the Arar case but how do you think Canadians would take it if some other country tried to tell us who we could and could not let into our own country? What makes us think we can do it to someone else? The US owes us no explanation as to why he's still on a watch list. It could have nothing to do with this situation. That's their business not ours.

Beth

 

[tone.def]

I have no comment on the Arar case but how do you think Canadians would take it if some other country tried to tell us who we could and could not let into our own country? What makes us think we can do it to someone else? The US owes us no explanation as to why he's still on a watch list. It could have nothing to do with this situation. That's their business not ours.

Beth

Agreed. Imagine the uproar if the United States told us we had to allow someone in (well, we let everyone in anyway, but really...), just imagine!

 

[pxlbarrel]

I have no comment on the Arar case but how do you think Canadians would take it if some other country tried to tell us who we could and could not let into our own country? What makes us think we can do it to someone else? The US owes us no explanation as to why he's still on a watch list. It could have nothing to do with this situation. That's their business not ours.

Beth

Not to get too political here but it's the job of the Canadian government to look after Canadians...a job they didn't do too well in the first case for Mr. Arar. They're just trying to right a wrong right now...in that he shouldn't have been on the no-fly list in the first place. And while the US is certainly in its rights to refuse people into their country for whatever reason they see fit, doesn't that no-fly list circulate in more than just the US?

You can be put on the no-fly list with nothing more sinister than you have a name similar to somebody who just happens to be the real bad guy.

I dunno, if I was on a no-fly list for no reason other than "Because I said so", I think I'd want the Canadian government to be fighting on my behalf.

There's also the question is the US trying to save face for deporting somebody to country that tortures people instead of deporting him back to Canada. He was a Canadian, not a Syrian....and I believe the Democratic senator from Vermont is also asking this question....

Oh well...so much for not being political. I guess I just wanted to say...if it were you in his shoes, you'd feel differently. If Ted Kennedy can get onto a no-fly list, who else can?

If he's truly innocent, then why is he on the no-fly list....and if he isn't innocent...then why aren't they telling Canada, an ally, that he's a risk?

 

[drag n' fly]

I have no comment on the Arar case but how do you think Canadians would take it if some other country tried to tell us who we could and could not let into our own country? What makes us think we can do it to someone else? The US owes us no explanation as to why he's still on a watch list. It could have nothing to do with this situation. That's their business not ours.

Beth

hmmmm good point gotta agree with you on that one

 

[tone.def]

If he's truly innocent, then why is he on the no-fly list....and if he isn't innocent...then why aren't they telling Canada, an ally, that he's a risk?

Um, then why did the RCMP not stop them from deporting him to Syria? Because there's a file on him with circumstancial evidence, nothing concrete. That was admitted by the former RCMP commissioner in the government enquiry.

 

[pxlbarrel]

Um, then why did the RCMP not stop them from deporting him to Syria? Because there's a file on him with circumstancial evidence, nothing concrete. That was admitted by the former RCMP commissioner in the government enquiry.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

I'm talking about now. Canada has cleared him. Canada doesn't consider him a threat. In fact, it was false information in which the RCMP supplied the United States that caused the US to grab him in the first place. So right now, if the United States considers him a threat, why doesn't the Canadian government? That's the million (or 10.5 million) dollar question.

Besides, I would hope that circumstantial evidence doesn't mean that anybody can be shipped to a country where torture is the usual form of interrogation. If the US had concerns about him (4 years ago), then he should have been sent back to Canada for interrogation if they didn't want to hold him in the US. He was a Canadian citizen. End of story. If he had been an axe murderer with a warrant out for his arrest, he would have been sent back to Canada. (Well, unless he goes to that border cross where the US let that murderer through even though he had a bloody chainsaw in his car...)

This story could have been a heck of a lot different and less of a story had the US just sent him back to Canada. And...I'm not just criticizing the US here...Canada dropped the ball when they allowed it to happen.

I could go on and on and on about this...but I suspect that people would rather read about Disney than something that's already in our newspapers for the past few years. I can understand their worries about terrorism. However, one still has the right to ask, "Why? Why can't I come into your country?" And if you were refused entry, wouldn't you want to know why?

I love the States and I love my friends in the States. I don't particularly like the current administration...but then, I could say the same about ours right now.

 

[ferris198]

I would like to know where the $10.5 Million plus lawyers fees are going to come from.
Of course, it will come from us, the tax payers, who had no say in the amount of compensation.
How was this amount determined ?

 

[drag n' fly]

I would like to know where the $10.5 Million plus lawyers fees are going to come from.
Of course, it will come from us, the tax payers, who had no say in the amount of compensation.
How was this amount determined ?

hmmmm that's a good point too. First nosnobunny2006 said you know what if the shoe was on the other foot comment and she was right and then of course your comment about who is paying is a good one. Maybe it should come directly out of Liberal coffers. I didn't mean to start a debate but everyone has a valid point of view for sure!

 

[nosnobunny2006]

I must say that I'm very impressed that drag 'n fly agrees that there can be other points of view and has the backbone to post it. Thank you. I think I like you.

Beth