Former justice minister Irwin Cotler called yesterday for an independent review into which members of the RCMP were responsible for causing or prolonging Maher Arar's ordeal, saying the force is incapable of investigating its own actions in the case.
Four years after the RCMP provided false information about Mr. Arar to U.S. authorities, data that an inquiry report found was "very likely" used to deport him to Syria for imprisonment and torture, no one has been held accountable, said Mr. Cotler, who is now the Liberal critic for public safety.
None of the officers who worked on the Arar case has been disciplined and several have received promotions or merit awards.
Mr. Justice Dennis O'Connor said in his inquiry report last month that RCMP information-sharing practices should be subjected to an independent review.
But that does not go far enough, Mr. Cotler said.
"I am saying we need the same type of independent arm's-length review body for the purposes of inquiring into the RCMP's investigation of itself," he said.
"It's clear that the RCMP's investigation of the RCMP has not resulted in any officials being held accountable for the last four years. And therefore, for the good of the RCMP, for its institutional accountability, for the good of the public interest, for the purpose of inspiring public trust in the RCMP, we need such an independent review body."
That body, Mr. Cotler said, could recommend appropriate sanctions.
RCMP Commissioner Guiliano Zaccardelli has publicly apologized to Mr. Arar for the part the force played in his detention. In addition to providing misleading information to the United States, RCMP officers refused to support sending a letter to Syria that may have secured his earlier release. Mounties were the source of damaging leaks about Mr. Arar after he returned to Canada.
Joe Comartin, the New Democratic Party public-security critic, said he agreed with Mr. Cotler but added that any independent review should wait until Judge O'Connor's second report. Recommendations about the creation of an independent mechanism for reviewing the RCMP's national security activities will be included in that report, which is due before the end of the year. Mr. Comartin also said sections of Canada's anti-terrorism law that increased the RCMP's authority around intelligence matters should be reviewed.
Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day was unavailable for comment yesterday. But he said during an interview on CTV's Question Period that he agreed with Judge O'Connor's recommendation that an oversight committee of Parliament be established to review the activities of both the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
"It would be an all-party committee, and members who are on that are sworn to confidentiality, obviously, because they're going to be privy to information reflecting national security," Mr. Day said.
CORRECTION
Mr. Justice Dennis O'Connor wrote in his inquiry report on the detention and torture of Maher Arar in a Syrian prison that Canadian officials leaked confidential and sometimes inaccurate information about his case to the media for the purpose of damaging Mr. Arar's reputation or protecting their self-interest or government interests. The Globe and Mail reported erroneously yesterday that the RCMP was the source of the leaks.