The Khadr payout

Re: The $ 10.5- million debate, Letter, July 11

Omar Khadr was detained, and probably tortured, by American soldiers at Guantanamo Bay. He confessed that as a 15- year- old in Afghanistan, he had thrown a grenade that witnesses claim killed an American soldier and wounded another.

The Canadian officials visiting Khadr at Guantanamo decided that because Khadr had confessed, he was not worthy of protection under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. But the Charter applies equally to all Canadians, not in ac- cordance to some government official’s judgment of another person’s worthiness to be protected.

Missing in the Khadr debate are these questions: who were these Canadian officials, and how have they been punished?

Their lack of respect for Canadian law is now costing taxpayers $10.5 million.

Reiner Jaakson, Oakville, Ont.

I take issue with letter-writer Tony D’Andreas’s premise that “we live in a country where so many people don’t appreciate one of its core values — the rule of law” (especially ironic since the Khadr family certainly didn’t).

The law is not static or divine. If treasonous — and in this case terrorist — citi zens are confirmed the same benefits as law-abiding citizens, perhaps it’s time to change the law, as many other countries have done, in reference to citizenship.

That would be a law many more of us would appreciate.

Marcia Rutman, Toronto

How offensive is Justin Trudeau’s sanctimonious statement that the pursuit of justice and judgment in the Khadr case would “inevitably be lost” and cost “$ 30- 40 million”? What an absurd attitude and ignorant opinion! This statement suggests that lawyers know how to suckle at the government’s teat, and that the government allows this to happen. No doubt, Khadr’s lawyers knew the opportunity to cash in on Khadr’s self serving, morally obscene claim. Canadians are being played for fools by Khadr, his lawyers, the courts, and the Prime Minister. Let’s hope Canadians remember the way we have been treated when Trudeau begs for reelection.

Lawrence B. Cohen, Toronto