A Canadian Court has ruled that since the U.S. is a country that does not honor treaties and, um, tortures people, Canada is obligated to rescue asylum seekers who are fortunate enough to make it to the Canadian border. In other words, we are the evil empire.
Does this mean that Canada hates us for our freedoms?
The United States is not a safe country for refugees, the Federal Court said Thursday as it ruled that Canada will no longer have the right to turn back asylum seekers at the border. Citing the example of Maher Arar, Justice Michael Phelan also noted that the U.S. has not been compliant with the Refugee Convention or CAT (Convention Against Torture). . .
"The U.S. does not meet the Refugee Convention requirements nor the [UN] Convention Against Torture prohibition (the Maher Arar case being one example). Arar was the Canadian who was stopped by U.S. officials in 2002 at a New York airport and sent to the Middle East to be interrogated as an alleged al Qaeda suspect.
Thursday's Federal Court ruling will essentially nullify the Safe Third Country Agreement, with a final court order expected early next year. It is also likely to result in Canada having to process thousands more refugee claimants each year.
via Shakespeare's Sister
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