August 1, 2018 Prime Minister House of Commons · 2018. 8. 1. · August 1, 2018 The Right...
Transcript of August 1, 2018 Prime Minister House of Commons · 2018. 8. 1. · August 1, 2018 The Right...
August1,2018TheRightHonourableJustinTrudeauPrimeMinisterHouseofCommonsOttawa,ONK1A0G2DearPrimeMinisterTrudeau,IamwritingyouonbehalfoftheInternationalCivilLibertiesMonitoringGroupinfollow-uptoourletterofMay7,2018,callingonyourgovernmenttoinitiateapublic,independentinquiryintothecaseofDr.HassanDiabandoverarchingconcernswiththefailingsofCanada’sextraditionlaws.Weweredismayedtolearnthatyourgovernmenthasdecidedtopursuethecourseofanexternalreview,ratherthanafull,publicinquiry.Whilewedonotdoubttheintegrityoftheappointedreviewer,MurraySegal,itiscleartousthatthetermsofreferenceforthereviewdonotincludethepowersorscopenecessarytoinvestigateandaddressthecomplexanddeep-rootedissuesatplayinDr.Diab’scase.Wewouldurgeyoutoinsteadproceedwithapublic,independentinquiry.Suchadecisionwouldnotonlyresolvemanyoftheproblemsofpowerandscope,butwouldalsosendaclearmessagetoDr.Diab,hisfamilyandthepublicthatyourgovernmentiscommittedtoensuringthatanordeallikeDr.Diab’sisneverallowedtore-occur.Anythinglesswillfallshortoftheclearneedforanswers,repercussionsandreformsinthewakeofDr.Diab’sdecade-longordeal.Ourconcernswiththecurrentreviewprocessinclude:
• ThereviewwillnotcoverFrance’sactionsintheleaduptoDr.Diab’scommittalforextradition.France’sactionsbeforeandduringDr.Diab’sextraditionhearingsareofgraveconcern.Itwillbeimpossibletofullyunderstand,rectifyandpreventfutureoccurrencesiftheseactionsareomittedfrominvestigation.
International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group 338 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0J9
(613) 241-5298 www.iclmg.ca
• ThereviewdoesnotincludeanexaminationoftheshortcomingsinCanada’sExtraditionAct.ThisstepisfundamentaltoensuringjusticeandafairprocessinthefutureandtopreventsimilarinjusticesbeingperpetratedagainstotherCanadians.
• Thereviewer’saccesstodocumentsandevidenceinCanada’spossessionissubjecttounduelimitations,includingconstraintsfromvague“internationalrelationsobligations.”WeareconcernedthiscouldmeanobtainingpermissionfromFranceforthereleaseofcertaindocuments,aclearconflict.Thevaguenessalsoraisesconcerns,moregenerally,overwhichdocumentsandinformationwillbeavailabletothereviewer.
• Thereviewprocesslackstheopportunitytocross-examinewitnessesunderoath,hinderingthereviewer’swork.
• Thetermsofreferencedonotrequiretheresultofthereviewtobemadepublic.ItisofutmostimportancethatthefullfindingsofthisinquirybemadepublicinordertoidentifyurgentchangesneededtoCanada’sextraditionlaw,andstepsneededtoimplementthem.ApublicaccountingisalsovitaltoensuringthatjusticeisachievedforDr.Diab.
Finally,wewishtoexpressoursupportforDr.Diab’sprincipleddecisiontoboycottthecurrentreview.Weagreewithhisassessmentthatthecurrentexternalreviewamountstodamagecontrol,andwillnotbeabletofullyaddresstherootcausesofDr.Diab’scase.WhilewhatDr.Diabhasfacedoverthepastdecadecannotbeundone,heandthepublicdeservefullanswersastohowitwasallowedtooccur,andactiontoensurethatitcannotoccuragain.Onlyapublicinquirywillbeabletoachievethis.Werequestthatyouactaccordingly,andwithoutdelay.Sincerely,
TimMcSorleyNationalCoordinatorInternationalCivilLibertiesMonitoringGroupcc: TheHonourableChrystiaFreeland,MinisterofForeignAffairsCanada
TheHonourableJodyWilson-Raybould,MinisterofJusticeandAttorneyGeneralofCanada