Oversight bodies are necessary

A man with integrity held a press conference in Ottawa last week. Maher Arar, the Syrian-born Canadian, who was deported on "extraordinary rendition" by U.S. authorities in September 2002 from New York on his way back to Canada, "very likely" with the help of the RCMP, and sent to a Syrian prison for a year where he was tortured, erroneously as a suspected a terrorist, reminded reporters last week that it was three years ago that he held a press conference in the same room calling for a public inquiry into his injustice. That inquiry was called. As a result, Giuliano Zaccardelli has resigned as RCMP commissioner. Justice Dennis O'Connor suggests a sweeping new review for most national security operations, including changing the way the RCMP and other federal agencies and departments conduct national security operations. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day announced a new inquiry into three new torture allegations of Canadians Ahmed El-maati, Muayyed Nureddin and Abdullah Almalki, to be headed by former Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci. Behind it all is Mr. Arar. Mr. Arar said he had three objectives three years ago: to clear his name, which was done in September with Justice O'Connor's first report; to make sure that the people responsible for what happened to him are held accountable, but he is continuing to wait for that; and to make sure that this will never happen again to any other Canadian. "Today, we are considerably closer to achieving this. I accept totally the recommendations issued today by Justice O'Connor. I hope that these new review agencies will ensure that what happened to me never happens to any other Canadian ever again. Had there been proper and efficient oversight of these various departments and agencies, I might not have had to struggle so long, so hard, for answers. Some of what happened to me might even have been prevented. There is no doubt that these recommended oversight bodies are necessary to protect our rights. These review mechanisms are required to protect our rights. I hope that these recommendations will be implemented as soon as possible and without unnecessary delay." Mr. Arar is right. These review mechanisms are required to protect our rights and the government should implement them as soon as possible. The Canadian public does deserve to know the full truth about the actions of Canadian officials in these three other cases as well. Meanwhile, Mr. Arar says he will struggle to make sure that the people who initiated a campaign of leaks of false information to smear his reputation will be exposed. Last week, the U.S. said it still had Mr. Arar's name on its watchlist, without explaining why. We should be thanking Mr. Arar for the fact that while he fought to clear his own name, he uncovered some glaring failings in our national security operations, agencies and government departments and in the process he managed to reveal some hard truths.

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Oversight bodies are necessary

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