A re-elected Conservative Government led by Stephen Harper will make the promotion of Canada's democratic values on the world stage a major focus of our foreign policy.
We will establish a new, non-partisan democracy promotion agency that will help emerging democracies build democratic institutions and support peaceful democratic change in repressive countries. Are these the values Steve is talking about?
After ensuring a 22-month inquiry into torture claims by three Arab-Canadians was held in secret, the government kept a 455-page tome of findings under wraps until almost the last moment. It nixed without explanation a planned lock-up to allow the three men, their lawyers, the media and other interested parties to review the hefty report by former Supreme Court judge Frank Iacobucci.
Interested parties living in Toronto and elsewhere scrambled to get to Ottawa after learning only Monday night that Iacobucci's conclusions would be out the next day. Critics blasted what they say is the latest clandestine twist by a "mean-spirited" government.
"Every step along the way, this commission has been marked by secrecy, a lack of transparency and seemingly everything possible being done to cut the three men and interested organizations out of any meaningful participation in the process.
"Any fair, decent process would have recognized how important it is to give people a reasonable advance notice as to when things are going to happen.
Such secrecy, blocking, and lack of transparency in an enquiry into torture does not promote values most Canadians embrace and it hardly presents a model for other countries to “build democratic institutions and support peaceful democratic change in repressive countries.”
We will establish a new, non-partisan democracy promotion agency that will help emerging democracies build democratic institutions and support peaceful democratic change in repressive countries. Are these the values Steve is talking about?
After ensuring a 22-month inquiry into torture claims by three Arab-Canadians was held in secret, the government kept a 455-page tome of findings under wraps until almost the last moment. It nixed without explanation a planned lock-up to allow the three men, their lawyers, the media and other interested parties to review the hefty report by former Supreme Court judge Frank Iacobucci. Interested parties living in Toronto and elsewhere scrambled to get to Ottawa after learning only Monday night that Iacobucci's conclusions would be out the next day. Critics blasted what they say is the latest clandestine twist by a "mean-spirited" government.
"Every step along the way, this commission has been marked by secrecy, a lack of transparency and seemingly everything possible being done to cut the three men and interested organizations out of any meaningful participation in the process.
"Any fair, decent process would have recognized how important it is to give people a reasonable advance notice as to when things are going to happen.
Such secrecy, blocking, and lack of transparency in an enquiry into torture does not promote values most Canadians embrace and it hardly presents a model for other countries to “build democratic institutions and support peaceful democratic change in repressive countries.”
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