Is The Afghan Detainee Case Unfinished Business?

Last Wednesday, June 7, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan released a new Canadian defence policy, telling Canadians, “We have much to offer the cause of global peace, stability and prosperity.” His remarks came one year to the day after a letter signed by Joe Clark, Elizabeth May, Ed Broadbent, Ron Atkey and dozens of others called for a public inquiry into Canada’s handling of the transfer of Afghan detainees during its decade-long military mission in Afghanistan. “By exposing hundreds of Afghans to such high risks of torture, Canada failed utterly to prevent the torture of many of them, thus flouting one of the most basic legal and moral obligations: the prohibition of torture, enshrined in customary international law,” the letter said. “This is unfinished business of the most serious kind.