Lawyers lobby to declare President Bush 'persona non grata' in Canada

[G_j]

http://www.pej.org/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1021&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
Lawyers lobby to declare President Bush 'persona non grata' in Canada

As described earlier, President Bush is in an arguably criminal position with respect to Canadian law. When you mention the law, the lawyers jump in:

"By these laws, Canadians and non-Canadians alike are liable to prosecution in Canada, no matter where in the world they have committed their crimes. Furthermore, as the Attorney General can advise, the fact that these crimes have been committed by Mr. Bush while President of the United States is absolutely irrelevant to his personal liability to prosecution in Canada, according to principles established at Nuremberg and universally recognized since then, including by the British House of Lords in the Pinochet case in 1999. And if President Bush were to visit Canada after leaving office, we would be seeking the Attorney General’s permission under section 9 of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act and section 7 of the Criminal Code to commence proceedings against him.

However, as you also know, should President Bush come to Canada now, while still President, he would be clothed with both diplomatic and head of state immunity from our laws and we would be powerless to bring him to justice."
-- Space & Technology Editor


LAW - Letter to PM Martin to declare President Bush persona non grata in Canada
Michael Mandel and Gail Davidson
on behalf of Lawyers against the War (LAW) a Canada-based committee of jurists and others with members in thirteen countries...more..

[Sanity Claws]

1. Go Canada!! (n/t)

[aquart]

2. Can we do that here?

<wistfully>

[LongTomH]

3. He should be 'persona non grata' everywhere

outside the U.S.:grr:

[G_j]

16. well he is to the common folks anyway n/t

[glarius]

4. He'll see lots of protestors in the streets when he comes end of November

protesting his disgusting war on Iraq....On second thought, he probably won't see them....He'll be shielded from them....but they'll be there!

[Spazito]

6. The visit has now been downgraded from a State visit to what ....

is really just a 'fly-by'. Good, I wish it were a fly-over instead!

[Spazito]

5. Whooo Hoooo!

I am very glad to read this! Thanks for the link! Just to have that letter on record is great, imo!

[G_j]

7. the second letter

rocks also:

Dear Prime Minister Martin:

It was with absolute dismay that we learned of the planned visit of President Bush to Canada o­n November 30th 2004.

Surely you are aware of the many grave crimes against humanity and war crimes for which President Bush stands properly accused by the world, starting with the Nuremberg Tribunal’s ‘supreme international crime’ of waging an aggressive war against Iraq in defiance of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and including systematic and massive violations of the Geneva Conventions Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War and Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, as well as the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. As recently as November 16, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and former war crimes prosecutor Louise Arbour called for an investigation into crimes against the Geneva Conventions in the assault by US forces o­n the densely populated city of Fallujah.<1>
The terrible toll in life and limb of these crimes was documented in a study carried out by the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health in Baltimore and published in the October 29, 2004 issue of the British Medical Journal The Lancet which conservatively estimated that the war had taken 100,000 Iraqi lives, mostly women and children.<2> This was well within the range predicted before the war, for example by a British affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War who, in November 2002, assessed the probable death toll at a minimum of 48,000 deaths, mostly civilians, and predicted that post-war conditions would cost an additional 200,000 lives.<3>

The President’s responsibility for these offences derives not o­nly from his ‘command responsibility' as Commander in Chief of US forces, for crimes that he knew were being committed, or ignored through willful blindness, but did nothing to prevent; it also comes from his direct involvement in the formulation of policy. This includes his personal involvement not o­nly in the devising and waging of an aggressive, illegal war, but also of the unlawful refusal to grant prisoner of war status to prisoners of war, contrary to specific provisions of the Geneva Conventions, an act repudiated in the US Courts.<4> It also includes the approval of techniques of interrogation by his direct subordinate, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, that legally and morally constitute torture and that led directly to the disgraceful violence against Iraqi prisoners, for example at the prison at Abu Ghraib.

As you know, not o­nly are these acts criminal under international law, but many of them are also criminal under Canadian law, under laws enacted in pursuance of our international obligations, most importantly the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, put in place just four years ago under a Liberal government. They also violate the provisions o­n torture in the Canadian Criminal Code.

By these laws, Canadians and non-Canadians alike are liable to prosecution in Canada, no matter where in the world they have committed their crimes. Furthermore, as the Attorney General can advise, the fact that these crimes have been committed by Mr. Bush while President of the United States is absolutely irrelevant to his personal liability to prosecution in Canada, according to principles established at Nuremberg and universally recognized since then, including by the British House of Lords in the Pinochet case in 1999. And if President Bush were to visit Canada after leaving office, we would be seeking the Attorney General’s permission under section 9 of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act and section 7 of the Criminal Code to commence proceedings against him.

<snip>

[Spazito]

8. I have to say I am very proud of my fellow citizens right now....

and, yes, it, too, is an awesome letter, thanks for posting it!

[G_j]

9. let me say: Thank You Canada!

:toast:

[Stinky The Clown]

10. PleezeGodLetItHappen!!!! PleezeGodLetItHappen!!!!

Is that an actual prayer?

[G_j]

14. what ever it is

I'll join ya

[G_j]

11. kick

[burn the bush]

12. I never thought that seeing Canada dis a US PRESIDENT

would make me feel so good. You know it's bad when Canada hates you.

[G_j]

13. You know it's bad when Canada hates you

well said! :think:

[gordianot]

15. * is the least traveled pResident.

No wonder. When the flying monkeys (Media) finally talk about this you know it is bad. I find it rather curious Space & Technology magazine had the nerve to editorialize this sad situation.

[__Inanna__]

17. Thank you Canada !

and may you always remember that 49% of your neighbors to the south are EXTREMELY grateful for this.

[TexasChick]

18. Shoot, if I'm understanding the article right, they still can't prosecute

Chimpy McFlightsuit for war crimes, since he is Presidunce of the US! Rats!!!

[G_j]

19. kick for Canada