PMO blasts Khadr 'PR stunt'

[CHIMO]

TORONTO — Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Khadr is a “wounded boy” who needs to come home to Canada to heal, his lawyer said Wednesday, but a chorus of pleas for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to press U.S. President Barack Obama on the issue fell on deaf ears.

“It's not our process,” Mr. Teneycke said. “There's not been a change in the U.S. position; there's not been a change in the Canadian position. We will respond to changes in the U.S. position if and when they occur.”

Mr. Teneycke derided the plan as a “PR stunt and nothing more.”

“We are not interested in what Mr. Khadr's lawyers have to say or opposition leaders or, frankly, the media,” Mr. Teneycke said. “We are not going to make decisions on this case on the basis of PR campaigns by his lawyer, by his media, or the opposition coalition.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090211.wkhadr0211/BNStory/National/home

Quite an expose. They don't give a dam about the facts.

No plans to discuss Khadr, PMO says of Obama visit

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper does not intend to raise the Omar Khadr file nor does he expect it to be raised by U.S. President Barack Obama next week, a senior government official said today.

Teneycke observed that the "coalition was back in business again," a reference to the pre-Christmas arrangement between the Liberals (under the leadership of Stephane Dion), the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois that forced Harper to ask the Governor-General to prorogue Parliament.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/585929#

They are stuck in the Bush neo-con world. They can't see anything.

I thought that they were moving to accommodate the other groups in parliament? Didn't last long. One day.

[glarius]

1. Harper is so unbelievably despicable!

It's embarrassing to have to acknowledge him as being our Prime Minister. He knows that Khadr was taken over there as a 13 year old child. What child of that age would defy their father. He is obviously a victim. The whole thing is disgusting.

[IntravenousDemilo]

5. I thought he was 15, not 13. But you're right none the less. n/m

[glarius]

6. He was 15 when captured but taken to fight when he was 13.

I have heard Bob Rae, among others say this and the number was not disputed.

[Spazito]

2. It sure sounds like little lord Pissypants is in a perpetual temper tantrum...

these days. AWWWWW, I guess things just aren't going his way. Despicable little creep.

[daleo]

3. I imagine Obama would like Khadr to go back to Canada

He wants to shut down Guantanamo anyway. Harper would be smart to get out in front of this one, but it looks like he is deferring to the neo-con element of his party on this issue. It's foolish, especially after the Harper government's blunders during the U.S. primaries. Obama isn't going away, so Harper would be wise to try to get on his good side.

[Spazito]

4. It will be interesting to see how harper relates to Obama...

he will have to walk a fine line between establishing a good relationship with Obama while still nurturing the rabid members of his party.

I think I might enjoy watching this, lol.