Letter: Are we a mature responsible sovereign nation or not?
Canadian Abousfian Abdelrazik has been stranded in Sudan without a passport since 2002. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence denied him a passport citing national security concerns. CSIS and the RCMP say that there is no evidence that Mr. Abdelrazik is a security threat, so security concerns may not be an issue.
If Mr. Abdellrazik is a threat then, Canada should contain him. If Mr. Adberllrazik is merely caught up in the paranoia after 9/11 the citizenship right to exist in Canada must be respected. If there are reasonable suspicions, grant him a 3- day passport to travel to Canada where we take responsibility for watching him.
Whether dealing with a criminal or an innocent victim of paranoia, a sovereign Canada must take responsibility for its own. In contrast, Canada is abdicating responsibility for Mr. Abdellrazik to another country.
The political issue is clear, the government of the day would rather abandoned you than take seriously its responsibilities.
Eugene Parks
Victoria, BC
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Just pure racism, nothing new.
Canada used to be a well respected country. But it no longer deserves much respect as far as its human rights record and fortitude go. Without those two elements, Canada is just another hypocritical and self-complacent guest of the international moral club. You cannot count on it to do anything that will make the world a better place.