CANADA WON’T PAY RANSOM
Trudeau defies terrorist demands
PAYING RANSOM FOR CANADIANS WOULD ENDANGER THE LIVES OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE MILLIONS OF CANADIANS WHO LIVE, WORK AND TRAVEL AROUND THE GLOBE EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government does not pay ransom for kidnapped Canadians, and he intends to press European countries to adopt the same position as the number of abductions appears on the rise.
Trudeau made the comments Tuesday, at the end of a three-day cabinet retreat in Kananaskis, Alta., that was overshadowed by the murder of John Ridsdel. An Islamic extremist group killed Ridsdel after abducting him with three other people, including fellow Canadian Robert Hall, in the Philippines in September.
Canada is working with the Philippines and other allies to bring the perpetrators to justice, Trudeau said, before adding, “Canada does not and will not pay ransom to terrorists, directly or indirectly.”
“Obviously, this is a significant source of funds for terrorist organizations that then allow them to continue to perpetrate deadly acts of violence against innocents around the world,” he went on.
“But more importantly, paying ransom for Canadians would endanger the lives of every single one of the millions of Canadians who live, work and travel around the globe every single year.”
Trudeau’s comments appeared to be in direct response to those from a former Canadian diplomat reported by the Ottawa Citizen. Gar Pardy, former head of consular services, said while Ottawa may be not cutting cheques to militants or terrorist groups, it isn’t completely hands-off either.
There have also been questions about whether the federal government really does turn a deaf ear to ransom demands when a Canadian has been kidnapped. U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks in 2011 mentioned Canada as one country that negotiates with hostage takers.
“It is difficult to level criticism on countries like Mali or Burkina Faso for facilitating negotiations when the countries that pay ransom, like Austria and Canada are given a pass,” reads a cable from the U.S. embassy in Mali dated Feb. 19, 2010. “Everyone needs to get the same message.”
The cable was written less than a year after Canadian diplomats Robert Fowler and Louis Guay were kidnapped, then released by a terrorist group in West Africa. A letter between senior al-Qaida officials later obtained by The Associated Press said the Canadians were released for about $900,000. It did not say where the money came from.
Former foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy told CBC News Tuesday the government will do everything but pay a ransom. It also does not prevent families or companies from negotiating with terrorists or criminals. He indicated this was not a new policy.
“There’s a balanced approach,” Axworthy said. “If you get governments involved in the kinds of extortion that take place, then it simply begins to become viral and it spreads.”
Many European countries are open about paying to free citizens abducted abroad. A New York Times investigation in 2014 found France had paid about $58 million in ransoms over the previous six years, while Switzerland and Spain paid more than $10 million each.
Trudeau said he had talked to British Prime Minister David Cameron Monday night about the fact some European countries will meet the ransom demands of terrorists
THEY CANNOT CONTINUE TO FUND THEIR CRIMES AND THEIR VIOLENCE FROM TAKING INNOCENTS HOSTAGE.
and criminal groups. The United Kingdom and United States refuse to do so.
“We agreed that it is something that we are going to make sure that we do bring up with our friends and allies around the world as we come to grips with the fact that the world is a dangerous place,” Trudeau said of his conversation with Cameron.
“We need to make sure that terrorists understand that they cannot continue to fund their crimes and their violence from taking innocents hostage.”
In the past few years, criminal and terrorist groups have abducted Canadians across Asia, Africa and even the Caribbean. While actual figures are difficult to obtain because most kidnappings are not reported, experts and analysts say they are on the rise as a way for terrorist groups to raise money.
Briefing notes prepared for Trudeau last year note Canadians made almost 59 million trips abroad in 2013, up 45 per cent from 2004. In addition, nearly about 2.8 million Canadians were living overseas.
Canadians are often found in remote and dangerous locations. These include miners like Ridsdel who are exploring for undiscovered mineral reserve and aid workers trying to help in developing countries. In 2014, a Canadian nun working as a missionary in Cameroon was abducted and later released.