Prime Minister Harper apologizes to Khadr's victims directly

[Rwede]

Former PM Stephen Harper reaches out to Khadr victim


BY JOE WARMINGTON, TORONTO SUN
FIRST POSTED: THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2017 11:30 AM EDT | UPDATED: THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2017 11:48 AM EDT


First it was a Toronto Sun reader buying a full-page advertisement to apologize to Omar Khadr’s victims for the eight-figure settlement he received from the Canadian government.

Now former prime minister Stephen Harper has reached out to the families to express his outrage.

Upset about the Liberal government’s $10.5-million settlement with Khadr, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s predecessor picked up the phone Wednesday and called American soldier Layne Morris at his home in Utah.

“Layne spoke with Prime Minister Harper today,” his wife, Leisl, said on Wednesday night.

The call came just hours before lawyers for Morris and the widow of American special forces Sgt. Christopher Speer went into court to attempt to freeze Khadr’s assets with a view that the windfall could be applied to a $134-milllion American court judgment they won.

It is believed Harper made a similar call to Speer’s widow, Tabitha, but neither side has confirmed.

However, Leisl Morris said her husband had a good talk with Harper.

“Layne had a little trouble matching schedules with Prime Minister Harper but once they did connect, they spoke for a little over six minutes,” she said.

Her husband was thrilled by the gesture.

“He was very nice,” she said of Harper. “Prime Minister Harper apologized for the payout to Omar.”

And although he appreciated the former prime minister saying that, Morris said it was not necessary.

“Layne told him he did not need an apology because he knows the heart of the Canadian people and understands it’s the government and the current prime minister’s doing,” Leisl said.

She also said it “touched our hearts” that a “concerned” Canadian would spend their own money to take out a full-page ad in the Toronto Sun to let the families know not all Canadians agree with both the amount of the settlement to Khadr and the official apology.

The man who took out the ad told me Thursday: “I am staying anonymous for now because it was meant to come from the sentiment of regular Canadians who feel this way and not just from one. I did it because I felt I needed to put my money where my heart was.”

He said he also appreciated seeing similar commentary from Canadians from coast to coast, including from Harper himself.

Harper has been critical on social media of the settlement.


SNIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP


“Today my thoughts are with Tabitha Speer and the families of all Canadian and allied soldiers who paid the ultimate price fighting to protect us.”

And now Harper has expressed this sentiment directly to Khadr’s victims.

http://www.torontosun.com/2017/07/13/fo ... adr-victim

[GordonH]

What if the Government had not settled (out of court), this case went to court and Khadr had won.

Then what?

[The Green Barbarian]

What if Government had not settled, this case went to court and Khadr had won.

Then what?

make sure that Tabitha Speer registers with the court, then then pay her the money.

[The Green Barbarian]

This folks, is what true leadership looks like. Thank you Stephen for trying to do something to ease the pain of this national embarrassment. And I am not talking about the secret payment to Khadr the terrorist, I am talking about our current airhead we have running this country.

[Jlabute]

Why did Omar settle for just 10.5M if it is so JT obvious he would have had two or four times that?

[Rwede]

What if the Government had not settled (out of court), this case went to court and Khadr had won.

Then what?

Then it would be a duly rendered court decision and not a payment of political hush money.

That's what.

[GordonH]

What if the Government had not settled (out of court), this case went to court and Khadr had won.

Then what?

Then it would be a duly rendered court decision and not a payment of political hush money.

That's what.

So you would have been okay if the courts had awarded 2 or more times to amount paid in the current settlement.

[Rwede]

What if the Government had not settled (out of court), this case went to court and Khadr had won.

Then what?

Then it would be a duly rendered court decision and not a payment of political hush money.

That's what.

So you would have been okay if the courts had awarded 2 or more times to amount paid in the current settlement.

The money isn't the real issue. The issue is a political payoff so that the Liberals can duck having their egregious behaviour exposed via the courts.

I'm fine with having a court award a higher payout (there's no indication that the courts would have paid out one penny) as long as the principles of justice are applied.

And yes, standing proudly and fighting for what is right is the correct action even if it costs more. I don't avoid paying my dues by being a *bleep* and losing my self-dignity and sense of what is right and wrong. Most Canadians share my sentiment.

Men and women gave their lives, the highest form of payment there is, to protect this country when they could have turned tail and run. I expect no less from my elected representatives.

[Ub2]

I also agree with Rwede, and it seems that a majority of Canadians would be okay with it.

I brought this over from the other Khadr thread.

The poll was conducted by the Angus Reid Institute (ARI) between July 7 and 10, in the wake of news that the government had reached a financial settlement with Khadr and had apologized for the Canadian government's role in his incarceration and torture at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. military prison.

Fully 71 per cent of respondents agreed the government had "done the wrong thing" and should have fought Khadr in court, where he was suing the government for $20 million for breaching his civil rights.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/grenier-khadr-poll-1.4198306

[GordonH]

The money isn't the real issue. The issue is a political payoff so that the Liberals can duck having their egregious behaviour exposed via the courts.

I'm fine with having a court award a higher payout (there's no indication that the courts would have paid out one penny) as long as the principles of justice are applied.

And yes, standing proudly and fighting for what is right is the correct action even if it costs more. I don't avoid paying my dues by being a *bleep* and losing my self-dignity and sense of what is right and wrong. Most Canadians share my sentiment.

Men and women gave their lives, the highest form of payment there is, to protect this country when ,they could have turned tail and run. I expect no less from my elected representatives.

Since his suit was about what happen while he was at Gitmo & his rights that were violated by Canadian officials.

What took place in Afghanistan is totally different issue, that is between US & himself. This one he is guilty of impo...... on the suit Canadian officials impo were guilty

[What_the]

I guess Im not a regular Canadian.

I don't feel she's entitled to an apology or any monetary award for a career military husband in a theatre of war. Did she expect niceties?

Khadr doesn't either. There's more to the story other than rights and canadian citizenship.

One can either see this or be blind by emotion

[Ccrider]

I guess Im not a regular Canadian.

I don't feel she's entitled to an apology or any monetary award for a career military husband in a theatre of war. Did she expect niceties?

Khadr doesn't either. There's more to the story other than rights and canadian citizenship.

One can either see this or be blind by emotion

I totally agree... you are definitely not a regular Canadian.

What Trudeau and his band of thieves did was not just cowardly, it was deceitful. JT is a disgrace to our Country.