It may be a couple of weeks late and a dollar short, but today, Maher Arar got his apology from the RCMP for telling lies about him, getting his butt shuffled off to Syria for some illegal incarceration and nearly a year of endless terror for his family. The apologist was RCMP Commissioner Guiliano Zaccardelli:
"I would like to take this opportunity to express to you and your wife and your children how truly sorry I am for whatever part the actions of the RCMP may have contributed to the terrible injustice you experienced and the pain you and your family endured," Zaccardelli said at a House of Commons public safety committee meeting today.
Unfortunately, Zaccardelli did not offer to resign, as he should have. Naturally, the Public Safety Minister, Stockwell `I banged her too!` Day didn’t` do the honourable thing and fall on his sword either.
This is in keeping with the complete lack of any sense of honour that our elected representatives have shown since, oh, 1966, on either side of the border. It was taught to us in Civics Class that politicians were honourable people who tried to do their best and when they didn’t`, the British tradition was to resign their seat.
Today, when caught in a falsehood the politician will say it was: a) taken out of context b) being made more of than it really means c) misquoted by an unscrupulous journalist d) not current policy e) pending litigation, so he or she cannot talk about it or f) a youthful indiscretion. Even if the falsehood is captured on tape, from four different angles, live, on broadcast TV, of the politico having intimate relations with a barnyard sow, yesterday, the a) thru f) excuses apply.
Resignations are never offered, as that would be the right thing to do. So would a couple of dismissals of some Foreign Affairs Desk officers who know Arar was in custody but did jack-squat to ensure even his basic rights were even vaguely respected.
If it were up to me, I`d have the Finance Minister cut Maher Arar and his family a nice cheque, somewhere around 4 or 5 million dollars, then have a courier drive it over to his place tomorrow afternoon. It wouldn’t` be nearly enough, or even come close to making up for our country and our police force screwing one of our citizen over six ways to Tuesday. At least we could make sure he never wants for anything in the realm of money. I wouldn’t` take income tax off it either.
My only hope is still that Maher Arar forgives us.
RoadDave 