Canada removes U.S. from ‘torture list.’
By on Jan 20th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Canada removes U.S. from ‘torture list.’
Last week, CTV revealed that the Canadian government had put the United States on a “torture watch list.” Under heavy pressure from the United States, the Canadian Foreign Minister now has ordered the manual to be rewritten because it “wrongly includes some of our closest allies.” Amnesty International Canada criticized the move, stating, “When it comes to an issue like torture, the government’s main concern should not be embarrassing allies.”
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January 20th, 2008 at 1:16 pm“When it comes to an issue like torture, the government’s main concern should not be embarrassing allies.â€
..even when the ally really DOES engage in torture…
January 20th, 2008 at 1:18 pmYay Canada then Boo Canada! :)
One of the worst things we, or Canada I guess, can do is not to look clearly at our allies. This is the big mistake of American policy over the last hundred years. Time and again we give countries a pass on human rights, on weapon build-up, on anti-democratic actions, because they serve a strategic purpose.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:19 pmBuncha hosers. Take off, eh.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:20 pmConservative pussies to the north.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:21 pmTime and again we give countries a pass on human rights, on weapon build-up, on anti-democratic actions, because they serve a strategic purpose.
Comment by fletc3her
And it invariably comes back around to blow up in our faces.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:21 pmTime and again.
“No need to talk about it, eh?”
January 20th, 2008 at 1:22 pmThose hosers are smarter than the average bear. Any idea what the quid pro quo on this one was? Smarter than the average bear and wise enough to look insignificant while they play the good cards behind the scenes.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:23 pmThis is real good, eh? – rewriting history as it happens.
Shame on us, shame on them.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:24 pm“When it comes to an issue like torture, the government’s main concern should not be embarrassing allies.â€
That’s interesting, because I would have thought the main concern would be the torture.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:28 pmRemoves USA
AND
Israel.
Omission of a fact is a lie in and of itself.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:29 pm“Any idea what the quid pro quo on this one was?”
The administration, heedless of the well being of it’s own citizenry, may have threatened to halt all Canadian exports of wheat, beef, electricity, lumber, cars, and toilet paper.
They would rather starve, shiver and back up in their own dung than admit they are without human decency.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:32 pmMaybe the deal is- it’s not torture if you don’t call it torture.
Perhaps that Emperor did have clothes.
∞
January 20th, 2008 at 1:36 pmWell according to President Bush “We [Americans] do not tortureâ€
and I think we can safely assume President Bush doesn’t lie and has never been incorrect about anything ever.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:47 pm“When it comes to an issue like torture, the government’s main concern should not be embarrassing allies.â€
That’s interesting, because I would have thought the main concern would be the torture.
Comment by Zooey — January 20, 2008 @ 1:28 pm
Zoo, forgive me if I’m misreading both the original comment and your response, but I think they kind of agree.
My reading of Amnesty’s statement “When it comes to an issue like torture, the government’s main concern should not be embarrassing allies.†I think could be rearranged to say a little more clearly:
Embarrassing allies should not be the government’s main concern when it comes to an issue like torture.
So I think they’re saying the same thing you are.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:47 pmWord to Canadians- don’t make our fatal mistake & again allow Harper & his minions to assume control in the next election go-round. One time for your Bush wannabe-in-charge & his crew should be lesson learned.
And just one example of why would be:
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=2ad2ac46-fb8b-466a-913f-d2e123d63b35&k=53437
January 20th, 2008 at 1:48 pmThey sound like the Democratic congress. Maybe they should write a stern letter to someone, start a petition or threaten subpoenas.
Why is it that even on the most basic issue, human decency, no one has the nads to stand for what they believe. This is embarrassing for Canada. Not as embarrassing as the country that actually tortures, but none the less.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:48 pmSo I think they’re saying the same thing you are.
Comment by ralph the wonder llama — January 20, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
You’re right, Ralph. When I read that, I must have gotten the order of words mixed up. I thought that was a really odd statement to make!
January 20th, 2008 at 1:52 pmThey tortured the guy who put the U.S. on the ‘torture list’ until he agreed to remove us.
Now we’re no longer on the list.
Problem solved.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:53 pmWhat does removing the name, or not putting it there in the first place really do?
Nothing changes the fact that the entire world knows that the country that once used to be the Beacon of Human Rights for the civilized world, now indulges in torture of suspects.
Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe now uses the US as his Guiding Light, for focks sake. There’s not enough lipstick in the universe to paint pig with.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:56 pmIt appears that all of that illegal wiretapping is paying off.
GW Botch and the RePugniScums must have something, taken from those illegal taps, on the Canadian PM or others in the Canadian gov.
January 20th, 2008 at 2:00 pm.
So,
America CAN torture!
.
January 20th, 2008 at 2:06 pmI wonder if we’ll ever hear what pressures Bushco used to “persuade” the Canadians to change their tune.
January 20th, 2008 at 2:10 pmOn again Off again
Whats a government to do with not going to the the prom with the two as of best torturers in the world as of late.
So it’s off again.
January 20th, 2008 at 2:13 pmComment by Impolitics — January 20, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
I am not so sure this isn’t working in the other direction. Wanna bet nobody makes much noise about that nightmare oil shale operation going on up there?
January 20th, 2008 at 2:19 pmTOO LATE! THE TRUTH WAS SAID BEFORE: THE USA AND ISRAEL BELONG IN A TERRORIST STATE’S LIST. EVERYBODY SAW IT. EVERYBODY AGREED WITH IT, AND NOW, A GOVERNMENT THAT HAS STOLEN TWO ELECTIONS, THAT HAS LIED TO THE WORLD ABOUT WMD AND MUSHROOM CLOUDS, THAT HAS LIED ABOUT IRAN’S THREAT, THAT IS OCCUPYING ILLEGALY IRAQ AND AFECANISTAN, THA HAS LIED ABOUT ‘MISSION ACOMPLISHED’ AND ‘WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS’, THAT HAS NOT BEING TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT 9/11, NOW THEY WANT CANADA TO TAKE, BY FORCE, THEIR NAME OFF THE TERRORIST LIST. WHAT CREDIBILITY THE USA’S GOVERNEMNT HAS? NONE!
January 20th, 2008 at 2:26 pm#21 — I think it’s the opposite. Canada may be leveraging their position towards the US — not the other way around.
Watch what Canada gets in the next round of trade talks…
We could see some nice gimme’s showing up.
January 20th, 2008 at 2:26 pmI wonder if we’ll ever hear what pressures Bushco used to “persuade†the Canadians to change their tune.
Comment by Impolitics
PRECISELY! MAKES ONE WONDER… AND SHAME ON THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT FOR CAVING IN, WHEN THE REST OF THE WORLD AGREED WITH THEM! USA=TERROR
January 20th, 2008 at 2:31 pm“wrongly includes some of our closest allies.â€
Bush must have told them we suspect they have WMDs……
January 20th, 2008 at 2:36 pmCanada has compromised for the sake of political expediency — or was it extreme pressure (read, threats of some sort) from the US?
January 20th, 2008 at 2:52 pmDon’t we have some kind of timber industry issue with Canada?
January 20th, 2008 at 2:53 pmI’m glad to see the concepts of integrity and courage of your convictions are spreading rapidly around the world.
Wonder what these ass-kissing politicians will do next.
If the U.S. and Israel are no longer on “that list”, does it mean that they really don’t torture?
January 20th, 2008 at 3:05 pmJust. Amazing.
And this is the free world, right?
January 20th, 2008 at 3:09 pmThe U.S. no doubt held up a big stick and offered a small carrot.
January 20th, 2008 at 3:14 pmOh boy, we’ve got us another lap dog.
And I thought Canada was better than that.
January 20th, 2008 at 3:17 pmAnd I thought Canada was better than that.
Comment by Willy — January 20, 2008 @ 3:17 pm
Cheap-suit pols stick together.
January 20th, 2008 at 3:35 pmHoly shit – they’re trying to make themselves as pathetic as us – how sad is that?
January 20th, 2008 at 3:35 pmSeveral days ago, I wrote this to the original story. Wish I could claim special insight. The fact is, it is so predictable.
Written Jan 18th in response to story – Canada puts Gitmo on torture watch list
Actually, this is surprising. Our Prime Minister, Steve Harper, does not like to see this sort of annoyance. He is a devoted disciple of Bushco and Steve will straighten out this bit of bother. I thought for a moment this could have been Steve’s little retaliation for Mr. Gates’ insult about the performance of Canadian soldiers yesterday. No way though. Steve is known for not being petty. However, heads will roll here for this misunderstanding about torture. Why Steve just let his displeasure be known the other night with a silly official who did her job but forgot she was not supposed to. She shut down one of our nuclear reactors just because she was Chair of the Nuclear Safety Commission and the reactor was repeatedly failing its safety obligations. Steve did not like her doing this. He moved to override her decision and the reactor is running again without any correction of its serious deficiencies. A committee of Parliament thought they should chat with the Chair of the Commission and booked her for yesterday. Steve fixed this. Near midnight Tuesday night. he fired her. Bushco need not worry while Steve is around. Before being Prime Minister, Steve was very upset that we didn’t join your little party in Iraq. As Prime Minister, he isn’t about to let little issues like your holding a Canadian arrested as a child in Gitmo be a bother. Why Steve doesn’t even ask how the kid is doing after six years. Torture schmorture. Steve will take care of the little offence.
Comment by ken — January 18, 2008 @ 1:57 am
January 20th, 2008 at 3:52 pmThe way I heard it is that the Bushies have explained to our government that what were thought to be applications of torture were in fact “freedom tickles”; so that must make it okay, eh?
January 20th, 2008 at 3:58 pm“When it comes to an issue like torture, the government’s main concern should not be embarrassing allies.â€
How about identifying torture… providing reliable information…telling the truth?
January 20th, 2008 at 4:00 pmJeebutz, wonder what the eavesdropping program has on the Canadian gummint, eh?
January 20th, 2008 at 4:02 pmWell, Ken explained it pretty well.
Our cowardly government run by our version of Republiscums have destroyed what little credibility Canada has left on the world stage. Of course, any party in power, maybe even the NDP, would cave when faced with trade and other threats from the monstrosity to our south. Politicians are pretty much all the same. No guts.
The Canadian people as a whole, I believe, are appalled and disgusted by the behaviour of the US in the last six years, even if our current government is not. Luckily, we in Canada have more opportunities to turf our so-called leaders more often than you Yanks do, and my most fervent wish is that Harper and his zombies get the big boot out the door when the next election is called.
I used to think it was nice to have our two countries so close physically and culturally. But now I wish there was a huge ocean lying between us.
January 20th, 2008 at 4:17 pmSo, under intense pressure Canada removed the USA from a torture watch list. Why doesn’t that make me feel better about the stated lack of torture in the USA ?
Wonder what pressure was applied to Canada ?
January 20th, 2008 at 4:31 pmWonder if they waterboarded the Canadian PM. Cuz it’s not torture, dontchaknow.
January 20th, 2008 at 4:34 pmJeebutz, wonder what the eavesdropping program has on the Canadian gummint, eh?
Comment by RUCerious — January 20, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
We are on the same page. Here’s my previous post at #21
It appears that all of that illegal wiretapping is paying off.
GW Botch and the RePugniScums must have something, taken from those illegal taps, on the Canadian PM or others in the Canadian gov.
Comment by dixie blood — January 20, 2008 @ 2:00 pm
January 20th, 2008 at 4:35 pmHere is the retaliation, the classic “look over there” tactic straight from thw Whitehouse. Canadians say we torture, they push drugs. The link and first part of the story provided below. Also the link and key paragraphs to the torture reversal listed below. We do not want to get Americans upset with anything approaching truth – although we in Canada are guilty of electing the Harper lapdogs – albeit encouraged by American money and Republican campaign assistance. Your election stealing industry gets well used here as well.
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/295773
RCMP denies ‘extreme ecstasy’ flowing to U.S.
Jan 20, 2008 02:38 PM
Camille Bains
THE CANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER – The head of the RCMP’s national drug branch is debunking claims by the United States’ drug czar, who claims organized crime rings in Canada are dumping dangerous, methamphetamine-laced “extreme ecstasy” into his country’s illegal drug market.
Supt. Paul Nadeau said he doesn’t know why John Walters, of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, would make such statements in a widely distributed news release without checking facts with Canadian officials.
ttp://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/295706
Ottawa reverses torture stance
BRENNAN LINSLEY / AP
The U.S. Navy detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, houses accused “enemy combatants,” including Canadian Omar Khadr.
U.S., Israel wrongly included, foreign affairs minister says of federal government manual
Jan 20, 2008 04:30 AM
The Canadian government now says Guantanamo Bay, the United States and Israel were mistakenly included as sites of possible torture in a government manual that was inadvertently disclosed last week.
Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier said yesterday he has ordered the manual be rewritten and assured the U.S. and Israel the document did not reflect the government’s position.
“I regret the embarrassment caused by the public disclosure of the manual used in the department’s torture awareness training. It contains a list that wrongly includes some of our closest allies,” Bernier said in a written statement.
The inclusion of Guantanamo Bay in the training manual was especially embarrassing to the government because it has publicly stated that Canada accepts assurances that the U.S. treats detainees humanely despite the international outcry over abuse at the prison. Toronto-born Omar Khadr is now the only Western detainee remaining in Guantanamo and Canada the only ally of the U.S. who has not denounced the prison.
January 20th, 2008 at 5:24 pm.
Amnesty International Canada criticized the move, stating, “When it comes to an issue like torture, the government’s main concern should not be embarrassing allies.â€
That’s right. Don’t embarrass your allies who torture by actually putting them on a watch list, for God’s sake. Doing that would be an embarrassment upon your own country too. After all, what kind of country holds as an ally, another country that uses torture?
EMBARRASSING… INDEED!
I just can’t help but think and question, is this the level of reasoning as to why Musharraf is our best ally?
.
January 20th, 2008 at 5:25 pm“When it comes to an issue like torture, the government’s main concern should not be embarrassing allies.”
And I thought that, when it came to torture, a democratic, law-abiding, human rights-respecting government’s main concern should be to denounce it anywhere it happens, even if the truth embarrasses some allies (tough luck, I’d say). Silly me.
January 20th, 2008 at 6:10 pmThe headline is wrong.
They haven’t removed the US from the list.
Comment by justasking — January 20, 2008 @ 5:54 pm
From the BBC article:
In a statement on Saturday, [Canadian Foreign Minister] Mr Bernier said he regretted the embarrassment caused by the public disclosure of the list and promised it would be changed to reflect the Canadian government’s official position.
“It contains a list that wrongly includes some of our closest allies. I have directed that the manual be reviewed and rewritten,” he said.
The Canadian government, through their foreign minister, already apologised, retracted their list, and promised to “correct” it.
It certainly sounds like they removed the US from their torture watch list to me…
January 20th, 2008 at 6:16 pmThe Conservative government, under Steve Harper, is well known in Canada to be in bed with Bush et al. Hence the sudden retraction. The majority of posts coming in about this in Canada are blasting the gov’t for its change. The only change really necessary in the document was to change “sites of possible torture” when describing Guantanamo, etc., to “sites of torture”. However, as Harper is a Bush buddy, they are scrambling to ‘correct’ what was, actually, a truth. They are a very sad bunch of a**-kissers. Bernier may say it will be changed to reflect the gov’t, but if it is changed, it will go against the opinion of the vast majority of Canadians. I am no Conservative fan, but even I thought- for once they are doing something right– and now they reverse it. Hence the backlash to the Conservatives. And they deserve it. This could even affect their chances in an election, thank God.
January 20th, 2008 at 6:36 pmThe “heavy pressure” put on Canada was Condi Rice’s threat to go shoe shopping across Canada. Her shoe shopping sprees threatened to remove all shoes from the shelves across the entire nation of Canada. It’s the same diplomatic tour-de-force that Condi uses on all foreign countries the Bush Administration wants to keep in line. Play ball or we’ll turn Condi loose on you and your entire population will wind up shoeless.
January 20th, 2008 at 7:23 pmHer shoe shopping sprees threatened to remove all shoes from the shelves across the entire nation of Canada.
Comment by Starve-A-Bush_Feed-A-Beaver — January 20, 2008 @ 7:23 pm
Actually only the size 12 ugly ones with a high price tag will be in short supply. Thank the skies!
January 20th, 2008 at 7:36 pmHow much did that cost the US to get Canada to drop the truth. No worry Dick Cheney is on a personal business trip in Alberta Canada. He’s making deals with Canada for shares in the oil. Yes as the US Stock Market goes down, lower dollar and millions lose their homes the VP doesn’t really care he’s looking out for himself. Let’s hope we get a President and VP would work for the American people because Cheney hasn’t worked for the American while in office. Bush at lease allows people to know he doesn’t know anything until he reads it in the paper or one of his aides tell him. This might explain to Americans why this country is so messed up as we haven’t had a President or VP in 7 years.
January 20th, 2008 at 7:46 pmomment by Starve-A-Bush_Feed-A-Beaver — January 20,
LOL! Very funny!
January 20th, 2008 at 8:43 pmSo torture is not torture if your allies do it, or torture is allowed if your allies do it?. I guess I could read the whole thing and find out which absurdity they chose, but I am not interested.
Israel engages in the genocide of Palestinians, but thats ok presumably because they are our ally and do not use ovens, and because we are doing the same thing in Iraq and Afghanistan. This ally thing works well, you can pretty much justify anything.
Life goes on, for most of us anyways.
January 20th, 2008 at 8:47 pmwell that’s depressing… here i thought for a moment that our Canadian Government had finally grown some balls. it’s not surprising that the US has pressured our Government into doing what’s in the US’ best interest (Avro Arrow anyone?)
January 21st, 2008 at 7:58 ami remember how much it stung (in the media) when Canada was left out of Bush’s list of “Allies” when going to war with Iraq. of course, the only people who cared were the Canadian conservative groups who WANTED to be in that war.
ah well… i’m still proud that we haven’t set foot in Bush’s war for Oil.
Oh Canada!
what am i going to do with you?
guess i’ll have re-think my retirement plans. there’s always iceland or new zealand, i ’spose.
January 21st, 2008 at 11:29 amI’ve got an idea. If the U.S. wants off the list, stop torturing people. Simple.
Cheers,
January 21st, 2008 at 12:57 pmOh! Did you say “wakeboarding”? I could have sworn you said, “waterboarding”, eh?
January 21st, 2008 at 1:28 pm“the government’s main concern should not be embarrassing allies.”
Don’t worry, we are embarrassed of our governments torturing for you.
Bush/Cheney
Hague Trials ‘09
Buck Fush
January 21st, 2008 at 3:24 pmThe Canadian government under Harper, a.k.a. Bush-Lite, will never grow balls and take the stance that usually unites all Canadians. Harper’s agenda was well-known from the get-go, and the problem is the average voter is an idiot. They cannot tell when they are being spoonfed lie after lie. The general public were so angry at the ridiculous “Liberal Scandal” that they voted the opposite in, which happens A LOT, and now, we are stuck with our Aryan Boy!
People may have mocked Jean Chrétien, but for all his faults, I never felt more admiration and pride for him when he stood up in the house of Commons and declared that Canada would NOT join the Iraq invasion. I mean no disrespect to any or all Americans with this comment, but from a Canadian, it was one of a few times when Canada stood it’s ground. I only wish Harper could see that Bush’s agenda does NOT always mesh with what’s best for Canada.
As allies, Canadians and Americans have a great thing going. We share power, natural resources, water (a very important one) and many other needed resources. This is why think it’s prudent for Canadians to be aware of American politics, and vice versa, because one does affect the other, either directly or indirectly.
On a comical note, for the US, Bush is gone after this, but for us Canucks, who knows how long our little Aryan boy will stuck around?!?!
January 22nd, 2008 at 7:55 amI guess Chimpy threatened a little Shock and Awe, you know, finding WMD in Ottawa, eh?
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 am