Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Maher Arar’s courageous voice has quietly demanded answers to simple questions about the events that have forever changed his life.

Why was he detained by US border authorities more than four years ago, when he attempted to re-enter Canada from a family vacation abroad?

How was it possible that a Canadian citizen could subsequently and quietly be whisked to Syria, held against his will and tortured by Syrian Military Intelligence and imprisoned for nearly one year?

What role did Canadian government officials play in his wrongful detention,arrest and torture?

What did Canadian officials do to protect and seek the return of a citizen of Canada?

Last week, more than four years after his ordeal began, he finally got answers to his questions.

More than two years after an inquiry was called, Justice Dennis O’Connor presented his exhaustive report examining the actions of Canadian officials in relation to Maher Arar to the public and Canadian government on September 18.

The report is precise in its findings and documents the errors of the RCMP, CSIS, DFAIT, and consular officials in Mr. Arar’s wrongful detention,arrest, and torture. It further outlines how some officials may have leaked erroneous, misleading and prejudicial information, even after his release, damaging Mr. Arar’s reputation.

Mr. Arar and his family’s courage carried them through a living nightmare.

He sought answers to profoundly important questions and patiently participated for more than two years in the inquiry. Mr. Arar asked for his name to be cleared. Justice O’Connor’s response to this request is worth repeating - often:

The public can be confident that Canadian investigators have thoroughly and exhaustively followed all information and leads available to them in connection with Mr. Arar’s activities and associations. This was not a case where investigators were unable to effectively pursue their investigative goals because of a lack of resources or time constraints. On the contrary, Canadian investigators made extensive efforts to find any information that could implicate Mr. Arar in terrorist activities. They did so over a lengthy period of time, even after Mr. Arar’s case became a cause célèbre. The
results speak for themselves: they found none.

The Canadian Labour Congress is proud to have been part of a committed group of organizations and individuals who walked alongside Mr. Arar during his quest for justice. We are proud of the work and support from the labour movement for Mr. Arar and his family throughout their struggle for answers and justice.

Mr. Arar’s case is tragically, not unique. Three other Canadian citizens,
Ahmad El Maati, Abdullah Almalki and Muayyed Nureddin were also under investigation for alleged links to terrorist activities in Canada. Detained while travelling abroad, they were tortured and interrogated with questions that could only have originated in Canada.

Like Mr. Arar, the courage and integrity of these Canadian citizens will not languish in the cells they were caged in.

They all demand answers to the events that changed their lives forever.

They do this for justice and truth.

They want to ensure that no Canadian will be subjected to similar
injustices.

The long road to justice that Mr. Arar and the others have walked is not yet finished. There needs to be an independent review and justice for the Canadian citizens, Almalki, El Maati and Nureddin.

Justice O’Connor makes a very clear expression of concern about the common links among their cases and we support his call for a process of
independent and credible review that inspires public confidence.

The Canadian Labour Congress salutes the courage of the voices of Arar, Almalki, El Maati and Nureddin. We salute the courage of their families who have endured grave injustices and demanded answers for all Canadians.

For more information on these cases, visit the commission’s website:
http://www.ararcommission.ca/eng/26.htm