Two recent decisions by the Canadian Supreme Court have shown just how meaningless the Canadian Charter really is. The first was their decision that the women's ski jumpers were being denied their human rights by not being allowed to compete in the 2010 Olympics. But that despite the fact that Canadian law says, and the courts acknowledge, that any event recieving taxpayer money is subject to The Charter, the women had no legal right to demand their inclusion because the Olympics were outside its jurisdiction. Bullshit, the Olympics are on Canadian soil, they've gotten tons of taxpayer dough, they are subject to Canadian law and by being to chickenshit to enforce those laws the courts showed the meaninglesssness of The Charter.Number two came yesterday when the same Supreme Court ruled that Omar Khadyr was absolutely denied his Charter rights by the serurity services and the Chretian, Martin and Harper governments each in their turn, but that once again they, the Supreme Court, had no juisdiction because they deemed the whole crap filled bag belonged to foriegn affairs. Once again, bullshit. Every other western country has demanded the return of their citizens from Guantanamo and they have been returned except Canada.
i recently read Guantanamo's Child, the story of Omar Khadyr's life. It's well worth reading whatever your feelings are about the Khadyr family.
The thing about rights is you either have them or you don't. Rights aren't only for those you agree with. Rights that only apply when convienient aren't rights. Rights that can be pushed aside by/for an elite group aren't real rights. Rights are written to protect a minority from the whims of the majority or from the power of the elites. Everyone in Canada should be worried because if the lady ski jumpers can have theit rights overrun, if Omar can be abandoned, then who's next?
