Ottawa accused of bullying witnesses in Afghan abuse probe

OTTAWA–Federal lawyers have been accused of trying to intimidate witnesses into not cooperating with an investigation into what military police knew – or should have known – about possible torture of Afghan prisoners.

The lawyer representing a Canadian diplomat, who's signalled he's willing to speak before a Military Police Complaints Commission inquiry, blasted the Justice Department in a letter Tuesday, one day before the resumption of often sidetracked public hearings.

Lori Bokenfohr also accused the federal government's lead attorney on the file of "misleading" the watchdog agency last week when Alain Préfontaine said witnesses who refused to be interviewed were "simply exercising individual human rights in declining."

He told the hearing that federal lawyers approached all of the subpoenaed witnesses they represent and "none have seen fit to accept the commission's offer" to be interviewed ahead of time and that they have not seen that it was "in their best interest to participate."

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/709754--ottawa-accused-of-bullying-witnesses-in-afghan-abuse-probe

And in the G&M
Ottawa accused of bullying torture-probe witnesses
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-accused-of-bullying-torture-probe-witnesses/article1322213/

Both article reference the same source. Try and find this on the CBC site. I couldn't.

Where are the opposition parties on this?

Colvin, who also worked in Kabul, said he wrote about 16 more memos about the issue over the next year and a half.

In one of the memos, Colvin outlined specific allegations of torture made by a detainee transferred to an Afghan prison by Canadian soldiers.

But from the time Colvin arrived in Afghanistan until after he left, the government denied it had any "credible" information that would support allegations of torture.

At the time, Prime Minister Stephen Harper described the published reports as "baseless allegations."

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/10/14/affidavit-afghan-detainees.html
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 | 7:45 PM ET

Finally appears on CBC with files from CP.

What garbage that these politicians spouted just months into the New Canadian Government.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/pm-pushes-stimulus-in-liberal-bastion/article1326595/

Choosing his words carefully, the Prime Minister said he never saw the reports “at that time.”

Inquiring minds want to know. But the Canadian government doesn't want to tell them.

In Ottawa, a commission is examining allegations that detainees in Afghanistan were tortured in local prisons after being handed over by the Canadian military. The purpose of the inquiry is to get a clear sense of whether Canadian soldiers -- and the Canadian government -- knew they were handing prisoners over to potential abusers.

But late last month, the lawyers heading the Military Police Complaints Commission accused the Justice Department of willfully blocking witnesses from speaking at the inquiry. The Justice Department said the gag order was necessary for reasons of national security.

Freya Kristjanson is the lead attorney for the Military Police Complaints Commission. We reached her in Ottawa.
http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/8752/asithappens/20091016-aih-1.wmv

Piece starts 1:40 into the part.

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We suffer the influence of the USA as much as anyone else, only not with bullets and bombs

so far . . ,

Anyone remember the Avro Arrow?

The fastest plane in the World, developed by us Canuks, but killed by USA pressure on our wimpy government so the USA could maintain its image of superiority . .

Our gas and oil committed to the USA at cheaper rates than what we pay for resources in our own back yard . . .

and so on . .

USA IS VERY MUCH A PRESENCE in Canada - but they keep the profile low.

I think Chretien was our last Prime Minister that was not a puppet to the USA/PNAC crowd.

We need another PM with BALLS!

(sigh) good luck with that, . .

right?

so I would not be surprised that our military adopts USA tactics.

After all, are we "peacekeepers" now in combat roles in Afghanistan?

While most of us Canuks may not notice,

The World does.

A PM with stamina we have to have an opposition with stamina.

That involves some thought beyond just motherhood issues.

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we need an electorate less apathetic than our USAmerican neighbours.

In that sense, we are beginning to fail badly methinks . . .

But it is up to us as individuals to make sure that we don't sink into hopelessness.

Just because of the situation, those people espousing ideas should gain much more strength.