Last month the media reported that convicted terrorist Omar Khadr has been given an over $10 million settlement from the Government of Canada which will include an apology,

 

"The Trudeau government has quietly paid a $10.5-million settlement to Omar Khadr in a move that circumvents legal efforts by two Americans to prevent him from receiving compensation for abuses he suffered as a teenager at the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."

– The Globe and Mail

 

I completely agree with the comments made by Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer when he said: “This is not just wrong, this is disgusting... It is a slap in the face to Canadian men and women in uniform.”

 

Omar Khadr admitted that he killed a U.S. Army Medic, Christopher Speer. Now, Mr. Khadr is a wealthy man thanks to the Liberal government handing him millions in taxpayer dollars.

 

In Afghanistan in 2002, Mr. Khadr was fighting for the Taliban. He produced and planted the types of improvised explosive devices (IED’s) that killed or wounded many Canadian soldiers.  In a firefight with American soldiers, he admitted to throwing a grenade which killed American Combat Medic Sergeant Christopher Speer and blinded Special Forces Sergeant Layne Morris in one eye. Speer left behind a widow and two young children.  Mr. Khadr, who was wounded during the same battle, had his life saved by American Combat Medics much like the one he had just killed. 

 

Sergeant Speer and Sergeant Morris are heroes who were fighting beside Canadian and other allied troops against the Taliban. Just six days before he was killed, Speer walked into a minefield to rescue two wounded Afghan children.  He was awarded the Soldier’s Medal for his valour. 

 

It is one thing to acknowledge alleged mistreatments that Mr. Khadr suffered in captivity. It is another to apologize to and reward a convicted terrorist that murdered an allied soldier. 

 

When a Canadian soldier is killed or injured in battle, the government provides a lump sum payment up to a maximum of $360,000.  In contrast, the current government has provided $10 million to a convicted terrorist who actively sought to kill Canadian and allied soldiers. 

 

The real victims in this case are Sergeant Morris and Sergeant Speer, his widow and his children.  Given Mr. Khadr’s admission of guilt, all settlement money he received should go to Morris and Sergeant Speer`s family, who have to relive this ordeal every time it is brought up in the media and live the rest of their lives without a husband and father. 

 

Lest we forget.  

 

Kelly