Khadr deal victory for law and order

Re Canadian deal is far from unprecedented, July 11 The hostility by most Canadians to the Khadr case clearly reveals their need of a basic lesson in civics — “the theoretical, political and practical aspects of citizenship . . . the duties of citizens to each other . . .”

One of Canada’s core values is that we are a country governed by the rule of law, yet many of its citizens are oblivious to this fact. The payout to Khadr is not a reward for his behaviour. Instead, it’s a punishment for the misbehaviour of his country, Canada, toward one of its citizens. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that —“Canada actively participated in a process contrary to its international human rights obligations and contributed to K’s ongoing detention so as to deprive him of his right to liberty and security of the person, guaranteed by s. 7 of the Charter, not in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.” Canada contravened the legal rights of one of its citizens and as such should compensate him for the injustice done to him.

The court’s penalty is a legal victory for law and order and should be acknowledged as such by every citizen, liberals and conservatives alike — because one day, this rule of law might be applied to them. It’s not about Khadr — it’s about us. This case law proves that errors have a cost but more so that the law will eventually prevail.

It should be troubling for all of us to discover that we live in a country where so many people don’t appreciate one of its core values — the rule of law. But rest assured. Canada has just been put on notice to protect its own — it’s the rule of law of the land. Tony D’Andrea, Toronto