Opposition calls for apology, compensation for Arar
Opposition MPs called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to apologize and compensate Maher Arar, a day aftera report slammed the RCMP's conduct in the affair.
In his report, Justice Dennis O'Connor saidthere wasno evidence Canadian officials played a direct role inthearrest ofArar and his subsequent deportation to Syria, but heblasted the RCMP for passing along inaccurate and misleading information aboutthe engineer. O'Connor said that information "very likely" led to his arrest and deportation.
He also concluded that Canadian officials leaked inaccurate information to damage Arar's reputation.
During question period on Tuesday, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppecalled on Harperto compensate Arar for his ordeal.
Country owes Arar: NDP
NDP Leader Jack Layton also demanded the government apologize for its actions during the affair.
"This country owes Maher Arar a lot. This country owes him an apology,"Layton said during question period. "Will the prime minister apologize on behalf of all Canadians to Maher Arar and to his family?"
While admitting that Arar had suffered a "tremendous injustice," Harper would only say the government "will act swiftly" based on the recommendations.
Harper added that Arar has launched legal proceedings against the government and that he's awaiting discussions with lawyers to reach a result that will satisfy Arar.
Arar was travelling back to Canada from a family vacation in Tunisia in September 2002 when he was pulled off a plane in New York. Within days, he was sent to Syria, where he says government officials detained him,systematically tortured him and kept himin jail fora year. U.S. authorities had accused Arar of having links to al-Qaeda, an allegation O'Connor firmly rejected.
RCMP head praises force
Former Liberal cabinet minister John McCallum called the Arar affair a shocking and disgraceful episode, and took aim at RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli.
"I'm inclined to think he should go," McCallum said. "ButI can't say that definitively." McCallum said that he hadn't read O'Connor's report but that we should take "very seriously the possibility that he should leave."
The RCMP still has notresponded to the Arar report, but in an internal memo obtained by CBC News, Zaccardelli addresses the issue.
In the memo to employees, Zaccardelli said he was "proud of the professional manner in which RCMP personnel responded throughout the course of this complex and exhaustive inquiry process."
He also noted that there were positive findings in the inquiry report such as the fact "that RCMP officials were unaware of the U.S. decision to remove Mr. Arar to Syria."