Wayne Marston

[Privilege, June 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Burnaby—New Westminster for his amendment.

As I have been sitting here listening to this debate, I am reminded of what I used to speak to new Canadians when they come to Canada, and the member for Hamilton Centre will have heard me in Hamilton when I point to the pin that I wear that allows me access to this place and gives recognition of my status, having been elected as a member of Parliament to speak on behalf of my constituents.

It strikes me, the fear that that would transfer from this House to there, if the ruling had not come down in favour of protecting us, particularly because some new Canadians come from countries where they fear their government, they fear their police and they fear their military and we would be adding one more chill to all of this.

Again, I commend the member and would ask him if he feels the same would occur in his community.

[Privilege, June 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the member. In our committee, the Subcommittee on Human Rights, we have heard significant testimony in the case of Omar Khadr. There is an interest that when Lieutenant Commander Kuebler, his lawyer from the commission in the U.S., was up, he provided testimony. I am fearful now hearing this that perhaps it might have even opened the door for another country to file a lawsuit to prevent testimony or to limit the activities of one of our committees. This is very disconcerting.

[Privilege, June 12th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the privilege I feel was lost by the report being leaked in the manner that it has.

Yesterday in this place we saw the House rise to a special occasion. With the apologies to the first nations, we saw the very best that this place can be. At the same time, when I came to the House knowing that the report had been leaked, it troubled me deeply as I stood here. As I listened to the wonderful speeches, I was still troubled.

Canadians want the House to be what it was yesterday.

We can be so much more. We can do so much more. The leader of the NDP, the member for Toronto—Danforth, worked with the Prime Minister for over a year on that residential schools apology. That is what we can do when we are at our best. Canadians expect more than the 30 second clip that somebody might get by leaking this report.

I have very troubled emotions. In our committee, I was the person who moved the motion to study Khadr and I was proud of the work the committee did. We worked hard together.

As for that leaked report, I would suggest that perhaps all members of that committee had the opportunity, because I myself was asked by various media folks if I would give them a tidbit. I chose not to do that. I chose to stick to the principles, the rules and the order of the House.

It is not appropriate, as we have heard, for anybody to speak on an in camera report before it is tabled in the House.

There is more to this, with the future of this young man, Omar Khadr, hanging perhaps to a great extent on the outcome of that report. A former child combatant is facing the wrath of the Pentagon and probably George Bush himself, for all we know.

It is tempting for anybody on the committee to try to do whatever they can to raise the issue, but violating the rules of this place and giving over to the urge to do that is incorrect.

Now we have on the public record the recommendations of the subcommittee, the recommendations on how to deal with Omar Khadr's future and the recommendations to end this affront to Canadians' very fundamental sense of what is just.

However, equally as important as the success within the committee is the failure in the process that has happened here, the disgrace that has happened here.

Our committee heard over a dozen witnesses, including David Crane, a prosecutor in Sierra Leone, who said to bring Omar Khadr home. Senator Roméo Dallaire, who was outraged by Guantanamo, said to bring Omar Khadr home. Craig Forcese, a professor of Canadian law, said we could deal with Omar Khadr within the Canadian system.

All of this material is on the public record from our committee. Witness after witness said to bring Omar Khadr home.

I always look to the good in people. When we work within our committees, I do that, and most often I find it. However, I do believe that whoever leaked the report did so to keep this story in the media. I believe the person did so probably to bring Omar Khadr home, and as much as I would like to see Omar Khadr home and I call for it every day that I can in this place, it is still wrong to violate the committees and the rules of this place.

Ultimately, the success of the in camera meetings depends upon their privacy. Their confidentiality must be respected by all involved. Without that respect, the work of all committees would be seriously imperilled, to the detriment of the House and all members.

This breach appears to be a contempt against the dignity of Parliament. I feel that it must be brought forward and investigated in a just and timely manner.

[Omar Khadr, June 12th, 2008]

That is repeated empty spin, Mr. Speaker.

Six French nationals were released by the U.S. to France in 2004 and 2005; British national Moazzam Begg was released in January 2005; Murat Kurnaz, a Turkish-German, was released in August, 2006; and Australian David Hicks was released in April, 2007. Omar Khadr is the only western detainee left. He must come home to Canada.

There are many recommendations on the way this can be done. The only question that remains is, when will the Prime Minister bring Omar Khadr home?

[Omar Khadr, June 12th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian Omar Khadr has been detained by U.S. officials for 2053 days. He has been interrogated countless times. The first charges did not stick, so the U.S. military created a new charge. His trial was cancelled, rescheduled, then the judge was replaced, all with evidence mounting that the United States simply is not telling the truth about the circumstances of Mr. Khadr's arrest.

I want an unequivocal answer from the government. Does it agree with the U.S. supreme court and others associated with the case that the Bush administration's Guantanamo Bay process is illegal?

[Petitions, June 9th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter a petition into the record which states that Canada must act to stop the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. Since 2003 over 400,000 people have lost their lives and 2.5 million have been displaced. We have a prosperous country and it is time for us to stand up for these people. The petitioners call upon the government to encourage the international community, in whatever way necessary, to end these atrocities.

[Omar Khadr, June 3rd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely amazing that the parliamentary secretary would stand today in the House and reread that tripe.

The Supreme Court of Canada has said Omar Khadr's rights have been violated. Canadian officials are saying Omar Khadr is not a threat and instead is a victim of his upbringing. After six years of failing Omar Khadr, it is time for the government to do the right thing and help Omar Khadr salvage the rest of his life.

My question is for the Prime Minister. When will he act on this file and petition the U.S. to bring Omar Khadr home?

[Omar Khadr, June 3rd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, Omar Khadr has been held since he was 15 years old.

The U.S. government has rigged the process. When it loses a legal battle, it just changes the rules. Now the judge has been replaced mid-trial. Countless breaches of civil, military and international law have occurred.

The Liberals left Mr. Khadr with the Americans for three years and the Conservatives have left him there for another two years, all without a proper trial.

When will Omar Khadr be allowed to come home?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2008, June 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Hamilton Centre for his kind words.

It is difficult to stand here and relate the stories that I have come across when I was in the position of president of a labour council at a time when we had restructuring, such as the 350,000 jobs lost in manufacturing in the last few years, and to have those people come before us and ask what they will do. Some apply for EI but find out they only qualify for 13 weeks or whatever the number of weeks.

We know the reality that is left for them is welfare. We have people who have proudly worked all their lives, who contributed to an employment insurance fund that was supposed to be there for them, contributed to pensions that were supposed to be there for them and that social compact that I spoke about earlier in my remarks where they could depend on their government and their country, and they have been betrayed. There is no other word for it.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2008, June 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, of course it is not fair and it is not realistic, especially when we consider that the workers and the employers built a foundation of a fund that should have been self-sustaining. There were enough dollars in that fund to protect workers for many years and not subject the government to borrowing money and paying interest. In fact, it is absolutely ridiculous.

However, I do not think we can lose sight of the fact that the present government and the previous government need to be held accountable for the money that has been misappropriated, the money that belongs to the workers of Canada. It should not be written away, as it is about to be done.

I call upon the Liberals, as other members of the House have, to join us and stop this theft of Canadian workers' money.