Mr. Speaker, I am speaking in condemnation of the inflammatory comments made by Ontario Premier Mike Harris and by the Reform member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast with regard to 10 middle eastern refugees currently in jail in Israel who may be considered refugees in Canada.
It amazes me that these democratically elected politicians could cast aspersions on the validity of refugee claims by people simply because they are in political prison. Have we forgotten that Nelson Mandela was also in prison? Had he been offered refugee status in Canada these politicians would surely have condemned his application because of his supposed status.
As chair of the subcommittee on human rights I am aware of accounts of real human rights violations and would not be so smug as to make a judgment on the cases of these men without the aid of an investigation.
If the Reform Party were in power its motto would be guilty until proven innocent.