US ambassador: Arar case closed for now.

No doubt Stockwell Day will be happy enough not to talk about the case any more. Of course no evidence was ever brought forth to show that the US keeping Arar on the watch list was justified. Day, the Canadian minister in charge of security, also was shown the evidence and it didn't change his mind about Arar being innocent. Day is quite right wing and Pro US so if there were the slightest reason to support the US position he would gladly do so.


Matter of Arar’s place on security watch list 'closed’: U.S. ambassador The Canadian Press
Published: Thursday, March 01, 2007 Article tools
Printer friendly

TORONTO — The U.S. ambassador to Canada says there won’t be another review of Maher Arar’s place on a security watch list for the time being.

David Wilkins says his government completed a review of Arar’s case a few weeks ago and stands by its actions.

He says the matter is now closed.

Arar can’t fly into the United States even though he was exonerated of any terrorist ties by a Canadian inquiry.

He also received $10.5 million in compensation from the federal government and is currently suing U.S. officials.

The engineer was detained by U.S. officials in New York in 2002 and deported to Syria, where he was tortured while imprisoned for 10 months.

© The Canadian Press 2007

No news on Iacobucci Inquiry

This is a response to my latest inquiiry. My own MP's office is the only one to even acknowledge my inquiry. Stockwell Day's office just ignores the original and several followup messages as has the NDP justice critic. The government does not seem very responsive but I will keep at them! The inquiry is into three Canadian citizens jailed in Syria possibly on the basis of Canadian intelligence.


Why would you need any background? Why is Stockwell
Day's office not answering? They surely know the
details. The inquiry was announced last fall. It is
due to report in less than a year. There were two
questions:
1)When does the inquiry begin?
2)Will there be a website?

The original request was sent to Stockwell Day's
parliamentary email on January 11. I am covering this
to the Liberal justice critic. The NDP justice critic
doesn't answer emails either but I am also sending a
CC to him.




--- "Mark, Inky - M.P." wrote:

> 6 February 2007
>
> To: Ken Hanly
>
> From: Glenda Garrison
> Executive Assistant to Inky Mark, M.P.
> Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette Parliamentary Office
>
> Thank you for your letter. Debby Sorochynski, who
> has the background to
> your previous message is currently away.
>
> Once she returns on February 14th, I will forward
> your email to her and
> ask that she look into this matter.
>
> Glenda Garrison
> Executive Assistant
> Room 686, Confederation Building
> House of Commons
> Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
>
> t | 613.992.3176
> f | 613.992.0930
>
> www.inkymark.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Inky Mark, M.P. [mailto:inkymark@mts.net]
> Sent: February 5, 2007 11:35 AM
> To: Mark, Inky - M.P.
> Subject: Fw: Question re Iacobucci Inquiry
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "ken hanly"
> To: "stockwell day"
> Cc: "Inky Mark M.P." ; "j comar"
>
> Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 8:01 AM
> Subject: Question re Iacobucci Inquiry
>
>
> > Back on January 11th I sent a message concerning
> the
> > Iacobucci inquiry:
> > 1) When will the inquiry begin?
> >
> >
> > Blog: http://kenthink7.blogspot.com/index.html
>

Stockwell Day: Slow Response Time

I have been trying to get two simple bits of information for almost a month now. I also sent a followup to the NDP justice critic but with no luck there either. I thought at least these people would be concerned with PR. My own MP Inky Mark's office responded within hours but only by sending my request on to Stockwell Day. The inquiry is to report by next January.


Back on January 11th I sent a message concerning the
Iacobucci inquiry:
1) When will the inquiry begin?
2) Will there be a website as there was with the
O'Connor inquiry?

I also sent two followup messages including one from
Inky Mark's office.

Cheers, Ken Hanly

Blog: http://kenthink7.blogspot.com/index.html

A New York Times report on Arar settlement

You would think that the NEw York Times would at least not get basic details wrong. It sounds as if Arar was just sent from the New YOrk airport to Syria. He was held for days interrogated many times and then tried in an immigration court who found him to be a member of Al Qaeda and then he was flown by the CIA to Jordan and then transported and routinely roughed up on the way to Syria. Syria is mentioned as a place where the rules on torture are more relaxed! That is a nice way of putting it. As Senator Leahy put it the US knew that Arar would be tortured in SYria. By the way Arar was supposed to have legal counsel at the immigration hearing but conveniently the lawyer learned of the hearing only after it was held just as Canadian intelligence authorities found out that Arar was going to Syria only when he was on the plane to Jordan.


Canada apologizes, pays millions to U.S. terror suspect


By IAN AUSTEN
New York Times

OTTAWA — Maher Arar, the Canadian software engineer who was detained by U.S. officials in 2002 and deported to Syria, where he was jailed and regularly tortured, will receive $9.75 million in compensation from the Canadian government, under a settlement announced Friday.

The compensation ends a lawsuit brought by Arar and follows a recommendation from a judicial inquiry that the expulsion to Syria was caused by false assertions by the Canadian police to U.S. officials that Arar was an Islamic extremist linked to al-Qaida.

Arar, traveling on a Canadian passport, was pulled aside by U.S. immigration agents in New York as he changed planes on his way to Ottawa from Tunisia. He was instead flown by private jet to Syria, his birthplace.

The Canadian judicial inquiry cleared Arar of any terrorism connections in 2006, and concluded that anonymous Canadian officials had orchestrated a defamation campaign against him following his return from Syria in October 2003.

As he announced the settlement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered a formal apology to Arar, his wife and two children.

"On behalf of the government of Canada, I want to extend a full apology to you and Monia as well as your family for the role played by Canadian officials in the terrible ordeal that you experienced in 2002 and 2003," Harper said in Ottawa.

Arar, whose career was destroyed by the episode and who has suffered emotional problems since returning to Canada, said the government's apology was more important for him than the settlement.

"The government of Canada and the prime minister have acknowledged my innocence," Arar told a separate news conference. "This means the world to me."

"The struggle to clear my name has been long and hard," he said. It has "taught me how important it is to stand up for human rights," he added.

After apologizing, Harper renewed calls for the United States to remove Arar from its terrorist watch list.

"Canada fully understands and appreciates and shares the United States' concerns with regard to security," he said. "However, the Canadian government has every right to go to bat when it believes one of its citizens has been treated unfairly by another government."

Arar's case is an example of "extraordinary rendition," a covert U.S. practice of sending terrorism suspects to third countries for detention and interrogation. Often those countries have more relaxed rules regarding torture.

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff have told Canadian officials that Arar is still on the watch list because of information about him obtained independently by U.S. authorities.

After reviewing a confidential file on Arar, Stockwell Day, Canada's public safety minister, said that it contains "nothing new" that justifies blocking Arar from entering the U.S.

This week, David Wilkins, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, publicly rebuked Day. "It's a little presumptuous for him to say who the United States can and cannot allow into our country," Wilkins said at a news conference in Edmonton, Alberta.

Harper apologizes to Arar--and his family

I just finished watching Harper on CBC TV. Much as I am opposed to many of his policies I must admit that I thought he did an excellent job. He was calm but forthright in stating his opposition to the US position and backed up what Stockwell Day had said without the slightest hesitation. He defended Day's actions as an attempt to right a wrong against a Canadian citizen, a position that is eminently reasonable.


Harper apologizes to Arar
Last Updated: Friday, January 26, 2007 | 12:40 PM ET
CBC News
Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered a formal apology Friday to Maher Arar and his family for their suffering after Arar was detained in the U.S. and deported to Syria, where he was jailed and tortured for nearly a year.

Harper, who made the announcement in the foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa, said the apology is an acknowledgement of the role that Canada may have played in the U.S. decision to deport Arar to Syria.

"I sincerely that these words and action will help you and family begin a new chapter in your lives," he said.

The compensation package negotiated by Arar was reported to be about $12 million, $2 million of which was intended to cover Arar's legal fees.

Harper said Canada has sent letters to U.S. and Syrian governments to object to the treatment of Arar.

Arar, a Canadian citizen born in Syria, had originally sought $37 million in compensation and an official government apology.



Arar, who now lives in Kamloops, B.C., is in Ottawa on Friday and plans to speak to the media after Harper's announcement.

In 2002, the engineer was living in Ottawa and coming back from a vacation when he was arrested during a stopover at New York's JFK Airport. U.S. authorities deported him to Syria, where he was tortured.

Ottawa set up a judicial inquiry into the case led by Justice Dennis O'Connor after Arar returned to Canada more than a year later.

More to come

Canadian government and Arar reach a settlement

THis is great news for Arar and his family. I thought it would take much longer. In contrast Arar's US suit was thrown out and is at the appeal stage. I expect it will get nowhere because of "security resons". There really needs to be a US investigation that forces Gonzales, Chertoff and others to explain themselves.




Ottawa reaches settlement with Arar
Last Updated: Thursday, January 25, 2007 | 10:31 PM ET
CBC News
The federal government has reached a settlement with Maher Arar, who had been seeking compensation for Canada's role in a U.S. decision to deport him to Syria, where he was jailed and tortured, CBC News has learned.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to make an announcement about it on Friday.

Maher Arar, shown in September, had originally sought millions in compensation and a government apology.
(CBC) Arar, a Canadian citizen born in Syria, had originally sought millions in compensation and a government apology. While no financial terms were disclosed, the prime minister has said in the past that any Arar apology would accompany a settlement.

Arar, who now lives in Kamloops, B.C., will be in Ottawa on Friday and plans to speak to the media after Harper's announcement.

In 2002, the engineer was living in Ottawa and coming back from a vacation when he arrested during a stopover at New York's JFK Airport.

U.S. authorities deported him to Syria, where he was tortured.

Continue Article

Ottawa set up a judicial inquiry into the case led by Justice Dennis O'Connor after Arar returned to Canada more than a year later.

O'Connor released his report in September 2006, concluding that Arar had no links to terrorist organizations or militants. He also concluded the RCMP had given misleading information to U.S. authorities, which may have been the reason he was sent to Syria.

Arar received a unanimous apology from the House of Commons after the report's release. However, the Conservative government later drew a distinction between a parliamentary apology and an official government apology, calling it the former.

At the time, the prime minister acknowledged that Arar had suffered a "tremendous injustice," but noted that Arar had launched legal proceedings against the government. Arar added that he was awaiting discussions with lawyers to reach a result that would satisfy Arar.

Earlier this week, U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins criticized Ottawa's efforts to have Arar removed from a United States security watch list, saying Washington alone will decide who to let into the country.

Speaking in Edmonton after meeting with new Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, Wilkins warned Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day to back off because a U.S. review determined Arar should remain on the watch list.

"It's a little presumptuous for him [Day] to say who the United States can and cannot allow into our country," Wilkins told reporters Wednesday.

The ambassador reiterated that the U.S. found its own reasons to keep Arar on the watch list.

Day said in a visit last week to Washington that he has seen the information and found nothing new to suggest Arar is a safety risk.

There is no significant US evidence against Arar

There are good reasons to think that Gonzales and Chertoff have no significant evidence against Arar. My reasons for thinking this are as follows.

The extensive O'Connor inquiry after more than two years investigation found that Arar was not a security risk and did not have any links to terrorism.

Stockwell Day the Canadian cabinet minister in charge of security saw the US evidence that the inquiry did not see but did not change his mind about Arar not being a security risk. NOTE: The US refused to co-operate with the Canadian inquiry, itself suspicious. Stockwell Day is pro-US policy and in favor of friendlier and strong relationships with the US even to the point of being in favor of Canadas participation in the Iraq war. If Day had the remotest reason to agree to the US position he would have. He has enough decency not to try and earn brownie points with the US when he saw the emperor had no clothes.

Arar has an appeal pending on his suit against the US. The US position would be weakened if it admits an error in assessing Arar. The US immigration in its decision to deport Arar ruled that Arar was a member of Al Qaeda. The US authorities will not take that back even though they know they have no proof of it.

Finally the O'Connor inquiry revealed that US authorities were constantly asking Canadian intelligence for further evidence against Arar. They even asked whether he would be held and charged if sent back to Canada. Canadian authorities said no that he was only what they called a person of interest. Leahy is wrong when he says that if Arar were sent to Canada he would be held and investigated. He would be scot free as he is now. No charges have even been laid against Arar. The US had no evidence to lay charges even though their immigration found him to be a member of AL Qaeda. Imagine he is a member of Al Qaeda and they did not charge him but simply deported him. What a farce!

Gonzales, Chertoff, and Wilkins are quite willing to further damage an innocent person's reputation, a person already tortured, and also maligned through leaks in the Canadian press earlier. Senator Leahy needs to start his own inquiry into the Arar affair and put US policy in order. THe majority of the American people I am sure do not favor a policy that protects people who have maligned and wronged an innocent person but allows them to get away with it through uttering the mantra of national security.

Stockwell Day not convinced by US evidence on Arar

This article makes it crystal clear that the letter was written before Day met with CHertoff. At that time Day already saw the evidence and was not convinced. Gonzales did not even mention the letter in his testimony before Senate. I sure hope that Leahy continues with senate investigations into the case.


Arar to stay on watch list, U.S. says
Letter co-signed by homeland secretary two days before he met with Day
PAUL KORING AND JEFF SALLOT

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

WASHINGTON, OTTAWA — Maher Arar should remain on the security watch list barring him from the United States, the Bush administration says in a letter released yesterday that bluntly rejects pleas from senior Canadian cabinet ministers.

The letter, written last week, marks the conclusion of a Canadian-requested review by U.S. counterterrorism officials of the file on Mr. Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian citizen who was tortured in a Damascus prison after being sent there by the Americans.

"We remain of the view that the continued watch listing of Mr. Arar is appropriate," says the letter to Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, signed by both Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Attorney-General Alberto Gonzalez.

The letter was dated last Tuesday, two days before Mr. Day met Mr. Chertoff in Washington. Mr. Day said that Canadian counterterrorism officials had viewed the American dossier on Mr. Arar, finding "nothing new" that would justify keeping him on a terrorist watch list.




U.S. file fails to link Arar to terror, Day says
U Neither man mentioned the letter. Nor did Mr. Gonzalez when he was questioned about Mr. Arar the same day by the U.S. Senate judiciary committee.

However, Mr. Day said last night the letter and the U.S. intelligence dossier on Mr. Arar that it refers to changes nothing, and Canada still believes Mr. Arar is an innocent man who should be taken off any watch list.

In a written statement, Mr. Day said: "While in Washington last week, I apprised American authorities that this information which they had would not alter our position on this matter.

"I have informed the Americans once again that we have removed Mr. Arar and his family from our watch list according to the recommendation of the [Mr. Justice Dennis] O'Connor report and because we do not deem Mr. Arar or his family to be a security risk. I maintain the same position which I clearly articulated in writing to Secretary Chertoff on September 21st, 2006." At that time, Mr. Day urged the Americans to delist Mr. Arar.

The U.S. letter makes it clear that Canadian-provided information originally fingering Mr. Arar isn't the basis for continuing American concerns about him.

"Our conclusion . . . is supported by information developed by U.S. law enforcement agencies that is independent of that provided by Canada," the letter says.

Mr. Arar's U.S. lawyer said the Bush administration is still not coming clean. Maria LaHood said Canadian officials undoubtedly know far more about Mr. Arar than U.S. officials after a lengthy commission of inquiry exonerated him of terrorist allegations.

The reason Washington may still keep him on a watch list is to protect the U.S. position in the lawsuit, she said.

Mr. Arar has sued Washington for civil-rights violations in deporting him to Syria.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper telephoned President George W. Bush last fall saying it was "unfair" that Mr. Arar remained on the watch list, urging the Americans to "come clean."

Foreign Minister Peter MacKay made another appeal when he met Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice before Christmas. Ms. Rice said she would personally ask Mr. Chertoff and Mr. Gonzalez to take the unusual step of reviewing why a person was on a watch list.

Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who chairs the powerful Senate judiciary committee and has championed Mr. Arar's case, said he was "disappointed that the letter does not address the larger issues surrounding this case. The reason the Arar case is such a sore point and such an offence to American values is that he was sent to Syria, on the Bush administration's orders, where he was tortured

Stockwell Day not convinced by US evidence on Arar

This article makes it crystal clear that the letter was written before Day met with CHertoff. At that time Day already saw the evidence and was not convinced. Gonzales did not even mention the letter in his testimony before Senate. I sure hope that Leahy continues with senate investigations into the case.


Arar to stay on watch list, U.S. says
Letter co-signed by homeland secretary two days before he met with Day
PAUL KORING AND JEFF SALLOT

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

WASHINGTON, OTTAWA — Maher Arar should remain on the security watch list barring him from the United States, the Bush administration says in a letter released yesterday that bluntly rejects pleas from senior Canadian cabinet ministers.

The letter, written last week, marks the conclusion of a Canadian-requested review by U.S. counterterrorism officials of the file on Mr. Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian citizen who was tortured in a Damascus prison after being sent there by the Americans.

"We remain of the view that the continued watch listing of Mr. Arar is appropriate," says the letter to Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, signed by both Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Attorney-General Alberto Gonzalez.

The letter was dated last Tuesday, two days before Mr. Day met Mr. Chertoff in Washington. Mr. Day said that Canadian counterterrorism officials had viewed the American dossier on Mr. Arar, finding "nothing new" that would justify keeping him on a terrorist watch list.




U.S. file fails to link Arar to terror, Day says
U Neither man mentioned the letter. Nor did Mr. Gonzalez when he was questioned about Mr. Arar the same day by the U.S. Senate judiciary committee.

However, Mr. Day said last night the letter and the U.S. intelligence dossier on Mr. Arar that it refers to changes nothing, and Canada still believes Mr. Arar is an innocent man who should be taken off any watch list.

In a written statement, Mr. Day said: "While in Washington last week, I apprised American authorities that this information which they had would not alter our position on this matter.

"I have informed the Americans once again that we have removed Mr. Arar and his family from our watch list according to the recommendation of the [Mr. Justice Dennis] O'Connor report and because we do not deem Mr. Arar or his family to be a security risk. I maintain the same position which I clearly articulated in writing to Secretary Chertoff on September 21st, 2006." At that time, Mr. Day urged the Americans to delist Mr. Arar.

The U.S. letter makes it clear that Canadian-provided information originally fingering Mr. Arar isn't the basis for continuing American concerns about him.

"Our conclusion . . . is supported by information developed by U.S. law enforcement agencies that is independent of that provided by Canada," the letter says.

Mr. Arar's U.S. lawyer said the Bush administration is still not coming clean. Maria LaHood said Canadian officials undoubtedly know far more about Mr. Arar than U.S. officials after a lengthy commission of inquiry exonerated him of terrorist allegations.

The reason Washington may still keep him on a watch list is to protect the U.S. position in the lawsuit, she said.

Mr. Arar has sued Washington for civil-rights violations in deporting him to Syria.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper telephoned President George W. Bush last fall saying it was "unfair" that Mr. Arar remained on the watch list, urging the Americans to "come clean."

Foreign Minister Peter MacKay made another appeal when he met Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice before Christmas. Ms. Rice said she would personally ask Mr. Chertoff and Mr. Gonzalez to take the unusual step of reviewing why a person was on a watch list.

Senator Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat who chairs the powerful Senate judiciary committee and has championed Mr. Arar's case, said he was "disappointed that the letter does not address the larger issues surrounding this case. The reason the Arar case is such a sore point and such an offence to American values is that he was sent to Syria, on the Bush administration's orders, where he was tortured

Arar to remain on US watch list!

Before the Arar inquiry there were reports that Arar was deported based on Canadian (much of it false) information. THe O'Connor inquiry concluded that he was probably deported based on Canadian informaton. THe US refused to co-operate with the inquiry so O'Connor could not be sure. Later the US said the it deported him based upon multiple sources that they did not specify. Now Gonzales says it was based upon independent US intelligence. I would not trust any testimony by this guy. He has about as much an idea of what truth is as he has about torture.
Gonzales and CHertoff are the Homeland Injustice twins. I sure hope that Sen. Leahy keeps after them. I really doubt that any smoking gun new evidence will be released. As this article points out the US had already shown Stockwell Day the US evidence apparently. He did not change his mind and he is quite right wing and pro US.



Arar will remain on watch list: U.S.
Last Updated: Monday, January 22, 2007 | 7:08 PM ET
CBC News
Washington will keep Maher Arar on a security watch list for the time being, saying it has independent information that warrants keeping him out of the country.

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff conveyed that information to Canada's Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day in a letter dated Jan. 16 of this year.

In it, the officials said that in response to concerns raised by Ottawa, they re-examined materials related to Arar. They said based on that review "we remain of the view that the continued watch listing of Mr. Arar is appropriate."

"Our conclusion in this regard is supported by information developed by U.S. law enforcement agencies that is independent of that provided to us by Canada regarding Mr. Arar."

Chertoff and Gonzales say they want to ensure the information is shared with Canada and welcome a confidential meeting with Canadian officials.

But appears Canadian public security authorities have already seen the secret file on Arar.

Continue Article

On Jan. 17, a day after the letter was dated, Day met with Chertoff in Washington. Day said Canadian authorities had seen the new information provided by the U.S. and that there was "nothing new" in the file that warrants that Arar remain on the list.

"He should not be on a watch list,'' Day said then.

Information 'has not altered' Canadian opinion: Day

"We have seen some recent information that has not altered our opinion on this at all."

Arar, a Canadian citizen born in Syria, was seized at a New York airport in 2002 and sent to Syria, where he was imprisoned and tortured. A judicial inquiry into his case, led by Justice Dennis O'Connor, was set up after Arar returned to Canada more than a year later.

O'Connor concluded Arar had no terror links and the RCMP had given misleading information to U.S. authorities, which may have been the reason he was sent to Syria.

Parliament apologized to Arar, and the government has been asking Washington to remove him from a watch list that prevents him from travelling to the U.S. and makes him a marked man, despite being cleared in Canada.

CBC report on Michael Chertoff and Stockwell Day meeting

Chertoff is certainly a piece of work. Imagine Arar is supposed to try and cross the border and risk being nabbed again and rendered somewhere, perhaps to Guantanamo for a change of scenery. It seems highly unlikely that the US has much more on Arar than what the Canadians gave them--and lots of that was wrong. If they had then they would have shared it with the Canadians are at least they are supposed to. Anyway if Stockwell Day saw it and it didn't change his mind it is highly unlikely that there is any damning evidence that they have even if David Wilkins says their decision was based on other sources than Canadian info. Earlier another US authority said that the decision was based on Canadian info. I will have to look that source up unless some reader has it handy!


Arar gets no break in Washington, but snowbirds do
Last Updated: Friday, January 19, 2007 | 8:08 AM ET
CBC News
Washington's homeland security chief, Michael Chertoff, says Canadians wintering in the United States will be allowed to fly home without passports after a new rule goes into effect Jan. 23.


U.S. Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff and Canadian Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day met in Washington Thursday.
(CBC)
But he isn't saying whether Maher Arar — back in Canada after being grabbed by U.S. officials, flown overseas and tortured in a Syrian prison — will ever get into the United States again.

The way for Arar to find out is to go to the border and try, he said.

"I'm simply going to say that this becomes a relevant issue only if and when somebody presents themself to come into the United States. Otherwise, it's kind of a hypothetical issue."



Chertoff declined to discuss statements by other American officials, including the U.S. ambassador to Canada, that Arar remains on a watch list that bars him from crossing the border or flying in U.S. air space.

Standing beside Canada's public safety minister, Stockwell Day, at a Washington news conference, he stressed the "good news" that most Canadians flying into or out of the United States were carrying passports, even though the rule requiring them was not yet in force.


Maher Arar was detained at a New York airport in 2002 on suspicion of involvement in terrorism. He was flown to Syria, where he spent a year under interrogation in prison.
(Canadian Press)
In the week of Jan. 8, about 96 percent of Canadian air travellers carried passports, up from 93 per cent in December, he said.

A similar rule for ground travel is to take effect in 2008.

"Of course, we'll always be open to consider hardship cases," Chertoff said, "and one thing I did say to Stockwell is that for Canadians who are snowbirds who are returning to Canada, we will allow them to depart the United States without having a passport for some significant period of time to avoid the problem of people who may have come last year, before the requirement.

"We don't want to strand them here, although I'm sure they'd like to stay an extra month in the warm weather."

On the subject of Arar, the two men seemed to agree that Washington has no information about the Syrian-born Canadian that Ottawa doesn't have.

Arar's ordeal began when he was detained during a stopover in New York in 2002, apparently on the basis of a bad tip from the RCMP.

Day noted that Arar was taken off Canada's border watch list after a public inquiry cleared him of any connection to terrorism in September.

Asked why he is still on the U.S. watch list, Day said: "Our officials recently looked at all the U.S. information and that does not change our position. We are still maintaining that he should not be on that [U.S.] list."

Chertoff said: "I know there's been some discussion between our law enforcement authorities and Canadian authorities about information to make sure that we have access to common information."

In December, the U.S. ambassador to Canada issued a statement suggesting that the Americans knew something about Arar that Justice Dennis O'Connor, whose inquiry report exonerated him, did not.

"Mr. Arar's original removal from the United States in 2002 was based on information from a variety of sources, as is his current watch-list status," U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins said.

Day still holds Arar should not be on no fly list

This was part of a question period at a meeting with Michael CHertoff in the US. Chertoff refused to divulge information on the basis of privacy rules! Chertoff is not even a bad joke any more. Can't he be retired to oblivion!
Stockwell Day is a right wing evangelical Christian type so if even he has not changed his mind after looking at the US evidence it is unlikely there is anything significant there. The US refused to co-operate with the Canadian inquiry into Arar. US officials both lied to and misrepresented what they were about in the Arar case as the O'Connor report shows.

Question: Have you been informed as to why he remains on the U.S. list?
Minister Day: Our officials recently have looked at all the U.S. information, and that does not change our position. We are still maintaining that he should not be on that fly list.

Email to Stockwell Day

On Jan. 11 I sent an email to Stockwell Day asking two questions:
1) Is the Iacobucci inquiry already underway?
2) Will there be a website as with the Arar inquiry?
I will update the blog with any reply