Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank you all for the work you've put into this, because I think this is a very significant case and is very important to the future law of this country, when we pause to think about it.
In fact, two weeks ago we had what some of us call a watershed event in this committee when Senator Roméo Dallaire spoke to us on his view of the rule of law. There was some pushback, and it was quite interesting. He stated that when a state starts to pick and choose who deserves protection under the conventions set by international bodies with respect to human rights, then they themselves become the same as groups who have no respect for the rule of law or human rights protection at all. I think that statement in itself has huge ramifications if people just pause and think about it in terms of the Khadr case.
The evidence is clear. Omar Khadr was 15 years old when he was wounded and captured.
I actually would put this to Mr. Forcese: Do you have an opinion as to why the Government of Canada, after six years, would refuse to recognize Omar Khadr as a child combatant? Is it because that would position him relative to the protocol at the UN, where they look to repatriate, rehabilitate, and reintegrate people into society?
It's inexplicable. Those of us who are sitting on this side of the table and hearing the responses from the government side are having a great deal of difficulty wrestling with this particular point.