I respond to Mr. Trudeau's statement published across the country a few days ago : "If we had continued to fight this (the Khadr lawsuit ) not only would we have inevitably lost, but estimates range from $30 million to $40 million that it would have ended up costing the government". This statement shocked me even more than the $10.5 million settlement itself.
Our society is too dominated by the elite, overpaid lawyers. That this kind of money is available in Canada - and that there are lawyers taking it for the fighting for the rights of a convicted criminal who was only born in Canada is hard to take. That Mr. Trudeau seems helpless or not willing to fight something that outrageous, highlights the problem. So many hard working Canadian families cannot afford much much smaller legal fees for just reasons.
When we renew our passports we are reminded that we are subjected to the law of the foreign country we are visiting, that Canada can do very little about it. But Canada is making an exception for the murderer, convicted by our most important ally. For the terrorist fighting against our freedom and our Canadian values. Our disabled war veterans who were fighting on OUR side receive a pitiful fraction of the Khadr's settlement.
Our legal system needs a massive overhaul – to better protect ordinary Canadians and not be so generous towards those fighting against our own country. There is not comparison with the Arrar settlement : Arrar was an innocent victim.
I do acknowledge that Mr. Khadr was a brainwashed child soldier. He has paid for his crimes and he deserves a new start in his life. But $10.5 million will only corrupt him. He does not have to work for life. The money could end up with the terrorists. It is extremely difficult to erase almost 30 years of brainwashing . Only Mr. Khadr knows where he really stands now.
A full financing of his university education - something many Canadian kids cannot afford -- would be much more justified.
Maks Zupan
