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Federal Liberals could take a political hit over the government's decision to settle a lawsuit with Omar Khadr rather than fight it in court even if most Canadians believe the former Guantanamo Bay inmate was owed an apology, a pollster says.

"It's not unreasonable to say this maybe has the potential to be one of the lasting or sticky missteps of this government," Shachi Kurl, executive director of the Angus Reid Institute told HuffPost Canada Tuesday.

"The broken promise on electoral reform, for example, seems to be something that isn't necessarily haunting the Trudeau Liberals in the same way that this might haunt the Trudeau Liberals."

Kurl says a new poll from her firm suggests Canadians are specifically uncomfortable with the compensation Khadr received, even though the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously ruled in 2010 that his constitutional rights were violated.

While Liberals aren't revealing details of the deal, citing confidentiality, it was widely reported last week that the settlement was $10.5 million.

"This is as much about the money as it is about anything else," she said.

Seventy-one per cent of respondents think the government made the wrong decision and should have fought the lawsuit in court, according to the Angus Reid Institute poll. Twenty-nine per cent support both the apology to Khadr and reported $10.5-million payout.

The survey questionnaire spelled out that Canada's top court already ruled the "Canadian government of the day acted unconstitutionally after Khadr's arrest" in Afghanistan in 2002 and that it was "partly responsible for his continued imprisonment in Guantanamo Bay."

The court found Canadian intelligence officials obtained information from Khadr in 2003 under "oppressive circumstances," including significant sleep deprivation, and that they illegally shared evidence with the United States.

Fully two-third of respondents also told the firm they reject the notion idea that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government had "no choice" but to settle with Khadr, who had filed a $20-million lawsuit against the government.

Tory Leader Andrew Scheer has said he would have fought the case in court on principle and has blasted the deal as "disgusting."

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said at a press conference in Ottawa last week that a settlement was the only sensible course for a case with "virtually no chance of success."

Goodale was also sharply critical of the previous Tory government of Stephen Harper for not advocating for Khadr's return to Canada when he was detained at Guantanamo Bay. Khadr was repatriated in 2012 while the Tories were in government.

It's perhaps not surprising then that 91 per cent of past Tory voters told the Angus Reid Institute they opposed the settlement.

Yet, 61 per cent of past Liberal voters and 64 per cent of NDP supporters also share Scheer's perspective, raising the spectre that some Liberals could pay a political price for the decision.

"It's quite telling to me that it's not just majorities of past Conservative voters who are expressing a level of discomfort with this deal but also really significant numbers of past Liberals and NDPers," Kurl said.

The poll also suggests Canadians have conflicting views of the Toronto-born Khadr, now 30, who was captured after a firefight at a suspected al-Qaida compound. He pleaded guilty before a discredited military commission to throwing a grenade that killed U.S. special forces soldier Chris Speer. He has since recanted and has long said he was tortured during his years in Guantanamo Bay.

Seventy-four per cent of respondents say Khadr was a child soldier and should have always been treated as such. Yet, when asked if Khadr has been treated fairly or unfairly during his saga, 42 per cent said they were unsure, while 34 per cent said he was treated fairly.

A majority of respondents also indicated Khadr was at least owed an apology for his treatment.

Asked to imagine themselves on the government's negotiating committee, 29 per cent of respondents said they would offer both an apology and compensation, while another 25 per cent would offer an apology but no money. Forty-three per cent said they would offer neither.

Kurl also believes outrage over the settlement may be affecting the way Canadians see Khadr, who has publicly renounced violent extremism. He has long said he was pushed into war by his father, Ahmed Said Khadr, who was killed in 2003 as he stayed with al-Qaida operatives.

Shortly after Khadr was granted bail by an Alberta court in May 2015, 55 per cent of respondents told the Angus Reid Institute they thought he remained a potential "radicalized threat now living in Canada." The latest poll suggests 64 per cent of Canadians now feel that way.

"It's not as though Omar Khadr has been doing seen doing anything that would indicate he remains a radicalized threat. If anything, he's kept a very low profile," Kurl said.

"Whatever statements he's made have continued to reflect that he continues to renounce that world view."

The Angus Reid Institute's survey was conducted online between July 7-10 among a representative randomized sample of 1,521 Canadian adults. For comparison purposes, the firm notes a similar poll would carry a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Scheer and other Tories repeatedly refer to Khadr as a self-confessed or "admitted terrorist."

Khadr told The Canadian Press last week he is not a "hardened terrorist" and asked for Canadians to judge him on his actions.

Even though the deal is done, Scheer has pledged that Tories will force debate on the issue once the House of Commons resumes sitting in September, the Calgary Herald reports.

At the G20 summit in Germany over the weekend, Trudeau said the settlement reflected that the Charter of Rights protects all Canadians, "even when it is uncomfortable."

"When the government violates any Canadian's Charter rights, we all end up paying for it," he said.

With files from The Canadian Press, previous files

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Omar Khadr Settlement Could 'Haunt Trudeau Liberals': Angus Reid Institute Pollster - Huffington Post Canada

Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown reads a story to 3-year-old Zoe Wilson and her mother Tanya at the St. Thomas Early Learning Centre, July 11, 2017. (Photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn News.) By Miranda ChantJuly 11, 2017 1:58pm

Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown hammered the Liberal government over its handling of funding for intensive therapy for children with autism.

At an election campaign-style stop at the Early Learning Centre in St. Thomas on Tuesday, Brown promised that if he is elected premier next year, he would make autism funding and services a priority. But he did not outline any specifics on how he would achieve that.

Brown also slammed the Wynne government over last years attempt to impose a controversial age limit for Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) therapy.

Last spring, with 16,000 children with autism waiting for some form of treatment, the Liberals terminated the IBI treatment for those age five and above. IBI therapy is considered an effective and life changing treatment for many children. Thousands of Ontario families have waited for years for IBI treatment. But with one stroke of the pen the Liberals ripped away any hope they had, said Brown.

The Liberals have since backed away from the age limit, introducing a new program for therapy funding in the province. The new autism funding program adds an additional $200-million to the $333-million the province previously committed over a five year period.

Brown claimed the Liberals decision to restore IBI therapy to all ages came only after intense pressure from the Ontario PCs.

We listened and worked with parents, we fought day in and day out and I am very proud that we forced the government to do the right thing, said Brown.

However, Minister of Children and Youth Services Michael Coteau maintains it was the governments work with parents, support workers, and clinicians that led to the change.

Patrick Brown has never done anything for children with autism or their families, said Coteau in a written statement. As an MP in the Harper government, he voted against a national strategy for autism that could have led to more co-ordinated service across the country. Now, he continues to mislead families and cause confusion. While Ontario is making the largest investment in autism services in the country, Patrick Brown is playing politics with families.

A high-speed rail line that would link Toronto, London, and Windsor was among the other topics Brown touched on during his stop Tuesday. While he wouldnt commit to the project if his party forms government next spring, he did cast doubts on the Liberals intentions to move forward with it.

I do think its valuable, I do think it is a worthy goal and under this Liberal government it will never happen, said Brown. They are using it as a re-election tool, they are using it as a photo op not something that they actually have a plan to implement when [Minister of Finance] Charles Sousa introduced their budget he mentioned all of their infrastructure projects for the next 14 or 15 years and this wasnt even mentioned.

In May, Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the province was moving ahead with preliminary designs and a $15-million environmental assessment for high-speed rail. At that time she anticipated the Toronto to London corridor would be completed by 2025, while the London to Windsor line would be ready by 2031.

Brown visited London, Windsor, and Kingsville on Monday as part of a 20 riding tour. Wynne and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath are also making campaign style stops across the province this summer, hoping to win over Ontarians ahead of the June 7, 2018 election.

Reporter Email Miranda Chant

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Brown Hits Liberals On Autism Funding - BlackburnNews.com

Try thinking like a liberal you might be enlightened The San Luis Obispo Tribune In his letter of June 29, Ed Bogusch wonders what it would be like to be a liberal. Contrary to his assumption, liberals are hardly spongers. The vast majority of them are highly educated and include scientists, academics, lawyers, educators ...

Link:
Try thinking like a liberal you might be enlightened - The San Luis Obispo Tribune

Updated July 11, 2017 08:42:00

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has taken a shot at critics on the right of his party, saying the Liberals' founder Robert Menzies never intended his party to be conservative.

The comments were part of a speech delivered in London overnight where Mr Turnbull was receiving the Disraeli Prize awarded by UK think tank Policy Exchange.

In his speech, the Prime Minister made the case that his party's longest serving leader Sir Robert Menzies wanted to create a progressive party not a conservative one.

"In 1944 Menzies went to great pains not to call his new political party, consolidating the centre right of Australian politics, conservative, but rather the Liberal Party, which he firmly anchored in the centre of Australian politics," he said.

"He wanted to stand apart from the big money, business establishment politics of traditional conservative parties of the right, as well as from the socialist tradition of the Australian Labour Party, the political wing of the union movement.

"Menzies said at the time: 'We took the name 'Liberal' because we were determined to be a progressive party, willing to make experiments, in no sense reactionary but believing in the individual, his right and his enterprise, and rejecting the socialist panacea'."

"The sensible centre was the place to be. It remains the place to be."

The comments will be read as a rebuke to those conservatives on the backbench, led by Tony Abbott, who have been openly critical of the direction that the Government has been heading in.

Earlier in the day the Prime Minister, along with British Prime Minister Theresa May made an emotional trip to Borough market where eight people, including two Australians, were killed during a terrorist attack last month.

"The three of us did our best not to burst into tears," he said.

Near Southwark Cathedral he spoke to two of the police who had tried to revive one of the Australian women who died during the attack.

"They are very brave men, very brave men and women," he said.

After meeting with Ms May to discuss trade and security, Mr Turnbull said Australia was ready to secure a free trade deal with a post-Brexit UK.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Turnbull said a new trade deal would happen "as soon as possible, if we move quickly", after Brexit.

Ms May said securing a free trade deal between the UK and Australia remained a priority of her Government.

"We've both made clear our intention to continue to deepen our trade and investment relationship as the UK leaves the EU," she said.

Ms May said the UK and Australia were "investors in each other's success" and their growing trade relationship was worth close to $18 billion.

Mr Turnbull also said he would not accept a nuclear-armed North Korea, and has been encouraging China to put economic pressure on Pyongyang.

"The Chinese, in practical terms, is the only country that has the ability to bring the North Korean regime to its senses without some form of military intervention," he said.

"They have the ability to impose huge economic pressure on North Korea."

Mr Turnbull will also meet with Queen Elizabeth II during his visit.

Topics: government-and-politics, turnbull-malcolm, federal-government, liberals, united-kingdom, australia

First posted July 11, 2017 06:32:35

See the article here:
Malcolm Turnbull hits back at right-wing Liberals, says party was never intended to be conservative - ABC Online

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Posted: Jul 10, 2017 12:01 AM

Let me throw down this marker: The West is superior to the rest of the world in every significant way, we should aggressively back our allies over our enemies, and the guiding principle of our foreign policy should always be Americas interests. No apologies. No equivocation. No doubt.

What are your questions?

Well, if you're a normal American, you won't have any questions - these truths are self-evident. But if you're a progressive, you're gonna have a little sissy snit fit like so many libs did in the wake of the Presidents triumphant Warsaw speech. Theres one thing that always sets them off - uttering the truth/heresy that not only is Western civilization the best and most advanced culture in the history of humanity, but the United States of America is its greatest manifestation.

The immigrants and refugees get it. Which way are they always headed? North, to the comparative paradise of the Western world, or south, to the hellscape of the Third World? That's a gimme. They are never headed south, and everyone knows it. Yet the left still insists that we stop believing our lying eyes and start believing the liberal Fifth Column of multicultural liars infesting Americas alleged elite.

Except our eyes arent lying, and now we have a President who wont lie either. It makes them nuts.

Can you imagine Felonia von Pantsuit uttering the glorious words our Commander-In-Chief spoke to our steadfast, loyal Polish brothers-in-arms? No, she would have continued Obamas despicable sellout of these sturdy heroes, leaving them to the mercy of her reset buddy Vlad.

I served with the Poles overseas. To get those hardcore boys cheering, you gotta bring your A game. They cheered Trump. And naturally the libs lost their collective mind.

Glorious.

So, while Trump was reciting manifest truths like the fact that Western civilization is the height of human achievement and worth fighting and dying for, the liberals were their own usual enemy-hugging selves - lying and distracting. How dare Americas President stick up for America!

One of CNNs femboys was squeeing like a tween about somebody not shaking Trumps hand, and if channeling the worlds least hot mean girl wasnt enough, he even botched the story - there was no handshake diss. On the upside, this massive humiliation was the least embarrassing thing that has happened to CNN during the last two weeks.

Back home, everyone's favorite Islamic radical apologist and Democrat idol Linda Sansour was flapping her lie hole again, this time declaring that #TheResistance was part and parcel of jihad. Thats sort of true, since jihad and liberalism share in common the fact that they are both practiced by cowardly buffoons who hate normal Americans. One murders its victims itself, while the other outsources to the media the programming of half-wit Maddow fans to try - ineptly - to do their murdering for them.

This Sansour idiot symbolizes much of why liberalism is a total failure, rejected by all who are decent and normal. Leftists, especially liberal feminists, drool over her hatred of normal women who don't buy into her evil ideology. She is the perfect heroine for a progressive movement that is based solely on self-loathing and a desire to destroy the very culture that allowed its practitioners to be such frivolous clowns in the first place.

Its their daddy issues playing out on a cultural scale. These liberal scumbags arent worthy of respect, and because they dont get any from us normals, they want revenge - or at least to be noticed by the patriarchy that rejects them. Its like some spoiled rich girl who tries to get attention by promising to act out when ignored.

Ill show you, Daddy! Im going to go to college, shave my head, get a big tattoo, and experiment in unsexy lesbianism!

Except here, progressives are playing out their weird psychodrama on a national scale. Liberals especially love Sansour because they think that by sucking up to her they can stick it to the man while avoiding any accountability she can spit the contempt they feel but can't publicly express without completely destroying what little credibility they have left with the normals.

But the problem for what the President accurately labels the haters is that the mainstream media has failed in its gatekeeper gambit and cant suppress the truth any longer. That clip of Jihadi Jane is all over social media, and in 2018 and 2020 we will see plenty of her in ads attacking the liberal candidates who sucked up to her. And they'll be other dirtbag pinko celebrities in those ads, like that cop-killing Puerto Rican terrorist the Democrats in New York were sniffing around. Liberals always get supersensitive when conservatives point out their treachery and lack of patriotism. They dont get mad because the charges are false; they get furious because the charges are true and that they're being exposed.

That's why they hated Donald Trumps stirring defense of Western civilization and of the United States. They hate America, and what it stands for. Just ask them. They'll often drop their weasel words and hedging to tell you so explicitly, assuming they think no one normal is listening. Their hero Barack Obama said as much in so many words between his fits of babbling apologies to scummy foreigners. He wanted to fundamentally transform the United States of America into something else, most likely some commie dystopia that would make Venezuela shudder and declare war on its own people, which means normal patriots like us. Normals instinctively understand that no one wants to fundamentally transform something he loves.

Perhaps thats Trumps greatest sin in the eyes of the left. He actually loves the United States, and acts like it.

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Liberals Can't Deal With A President Who Takes America's Side - Townhall