Lack of action on Omar Khadr riles Muslim community

More than 180 Canadian organizations and public figures have signed a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper calling on him to repatriate Omar Khadr — one of the largest efforts yet in a growing campaign to bring the detained Canadian home.

“We believe that your inaction with regards to this important case, compared to your active involvement in other cases (such as the repatriation of Brenda Martin from Mexico), has been, rightly or wrongly, interpreted by the Muslim community as indicative that your government considers Canadian Muslims to be second-class citizens,” the letter, released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations Canada, reads.

“While we most certainly hope and expect that this does not in any way reflect reality, it is nonetheless crucial that you understand that this is a growing perception within the Muslim community.”

The letter, released publicly Tuesday morning, was addressed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and copied to the leaders of the three federal opposition parties, all of whom have already demanded Mr. Khadr's return.

The letter's signatories include virtually every major Muslim group in Canada, as well as several Jewish and human-rights organizations. Among the individuals who attached their names to the plea are former NDP leader Alexa McDonough, Naomi Klein and Maher Arar. Former Progressive Conservative MP Flora MacDonald, who served as secretary of state for external affairs under Joe Clark, also signed the letter.

Mr. Khadr, now 22, is currently in in a state of legal limbo. Captured after an Afghanistan firefight in 2002, he has been held in a Guantanamo Bay prison camp for more than six years. He faced numerous charges under the controversial military commissions system, the most serious relating to his alleged murder of a U.S. soldier during the firefight. However, all charges before the military commissions system have been suspended at the request of the Obama administration, and it is widely believed that the new U.S. President will shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison camps and that no case will resume in a Guantanamo Bay courtroom.

Despite this, the Conservative government refuses to budge from its long-held position that it will not act to bring Mr. Khadr home until legal proceedings in the United States are exhausted.

In their letter to the Prime Minister, the organizations pushing for Mr. Khadr's repatriation say this is no longer a tenable position.

“With the welcome news that the Guantanamo Bay detention camp is slated to be shut down by President Obama, the inescapable reality now is that your government must find a viable and fair solution for Omar Khadr's case,” the letter reads.

What about Canada?

The United States of America has for the first time in its long history, a person of African ancestry in the white house.

No longer is the "top job in the country" a position held exclusively by persons of Caucasian/European ancestry.

But what about Canada? Sure we've "beaten the United States to the punch" with having a female Prime Minister (Kim Campbell June 1993 - December 1993) before the United States having a female President (which may still someday happen).

But what about persons of non Caucasian/European ancestry? Canada has yet to elect our first black Prime Minister.

With immigration being one of our strong points, something Canadians can be most proud of, our extremely diverse society, We have yet to elect a person from a visual minority onto our top posting.

Is it because immigration is "still very new?

Not at all, Many of the visible minorities have been in this country for quiet some time, Many of the families here today, the so called "immigrants" are actually 2nd and even third/fourth generation in Canada.

Immigrants from Far East Asia began settling in Canada as far back as the 1880's.

Immigrants from South Asia began to call Canada there new home in 1908.

Persons from the African continent and the carribean also started to look at Canada as a new home at the beginning of the 1900's.

With such a rich cultural diversity our country has to offer, It's only a matter of time before Canada see's it's first non Caucasian/European Prime Minister.

The election of President Barack Obama to the white house could be just the extra motivation that's needed for a young, energetic up and coming politician of our own here in Canada, to realize that they too can dream that much higher, Aspire for the very top, not just settle for "a seat in the house" or "a spot in the government caucus"

It's only a matter of time before we elect Prime Minister Sing, or Prime Minister Singh....

Can we do it? YES WE CAN!