Description
Our opinions of and advice to the world. Updated whenever we get around to it.
Comments and suggestions can be sent to:
Dana - virtual_zero@hotmail.com
Bob - bobtheright@hotmail.com
Syndicate this site: Atom RSS
Latest Posts
Canadian Sensitivities - Dana
Oh Paul Say It Ain't So - Dana
Differences - Dana
Libranos Poster offends Volpe - Bob
I Would Be Offended If I Wasn't So Amused - Dana
Guess who wants to be President - Bob
Liberal Election Tactics - Bob
The World according to Paul Martin - Bob
Brian Goes International - Dana
Khamenei warns U.S. - Bob
Links
Our Sponsors
Miscellaneous
Privacy Policy
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Maher Ahmad Zaydan, of Surrey B.C., the holder of dual Syrian-Canadian citizenship has been arrested and placed in a Syrian jail. There is very little information related to the arrest of Zaydan at this point, but it will be interesting to see how our government reacts to yet another one of our citizens being arrested by a brutal dictatorship. Full story here
So far the Liberal government's record for dealing with situations like this has been lacking to say the least. This is the third high profile case in the last while, with Maher Arar being tortured in Syria and the death of Zahra Kazemi at the hands of the Iranians. It would appear that the lack of a strong message and follow up actions from Ottawa in situations such as this has made it open season on Canadian citizens abroad.
I can hear it now, Pierre Pettigrew will insist that justice be done, and that the process has to be both transparent and credible for the truth to come out. It will be the same old song and dance, nothing will change. Syria, Iran or any other country wishing Canadians harm will simply refresh their notes on Canada's actions, that there will be no price to be paid for killing, jailing or torturing Canadian citizens as long as that person holds a dual citizenship. That in my opinion is a poor message to be sending.
1 Comment(s):
I propose putting the following message inside all Canadian passports, in large block letters.
"If you hold multiple citizenships, this passport will not offer you any protection whatsoever if you are arrested in a country of which you are a citizen, especially if that country is a brutal dictatorship."
Canada doesn't have a legal leg to stand on in these cases, nor would any other country. Mind you, if Canada had any clout, we could make something of it anyway. But we don't.
So, anyone silly enough to think that Canadian citizenship offers them any sort of protection in such cases is, not to put to fine a point on it, an ass.
Sometimes the truth bites.
"If you hold multiple citizenships, this passport will not offer you any protection whatsoever if you are arrested in a country of which you are a citizen, especially if that country is a brutal dictatorship."
Canada doesn't have a legal leg to stand on in these cases, nor would any other country. Mind you, if Canada had any clout, we could make something of it anyway. But we don't.
So, anyone silly enough to think that Canadian citizenship offers them any sort of protection in such cases is, not to put to fine a point on it, an ass.
Sometimes the truth bites.
Post a Comment