henric
02-08-2012, 01:18 PM
07/02/2012 10:30:00 PM
by Nevil Hunt
The Harper government says it has authorized CSIS to use information obtained by torture in "exceptional circumstances." If we're going to ignore torture, human rights and international conventions it would be kind of nice if the information resembled the truth.
Is a life in Canada worth more than a life elsewhere?
The federal government obviously believes so, and for some people it's an easy question to answer. It takes hardly any thought at all.
Harper's government reversed its policy and issued a directive in 2010 instructing CSIS to use information that may have been obtained by torture. The goal is to get information when "lives may be at stake."
"Canada does not condone torture, and does not engage in torture," Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said in question period on Tuesday.
On the surface we seem to have nice, clean hands. But take a moment to consider the real outcome of our actions and you'll have to go wash the blood off. Over and over.
If Canada accepts this information, we signal to the torturers that we value that information.
Following the same argument that applies to child porn – that consumption drives further production – it becomes clear that we are prompting people with pliers, electrodes and power drills to torture in the name of Canada. The guy with the pliers and the drill and the battery pack might as well be wearing a maple leaf on his shirt.
Above all, the acceptance of information extracted by torture is inhumane, and it would still be inhumane if the information was accurate. You either care about life or you don't care about life: pick one.
But there are experts – many of whom have worked in the shadows – who say people being tortured rarely provide useful information.
A suspect may not know the answer to the question being asked. They may lie on purpose. He or she may have faulty information in the first place. Or they may say anything – anything at all – to get the torturers to stop.
Given all the possibilities, the odds of getting something worthwhile from a suspect are slim to none.
So to return to the first question above. If you believe a life in Canada is worth more than a life elsewhere, then put your response aside for a moment and answer this: is it worth risking the life of a non-Canadian suspect in another country if the information received from that non-Canadian is incorrect?
By accepting information obtained by torture, we are condoning, encouraging and sponsoring torture. Then we can act on that information even though its veracity is unknown.
Toews says CSIS will take what they learn and, "share the necessary information, properly described and qualified – with the appropriate authorities."
If CSIS calls the Anytown police department and tells them to be on the lookout for people wearing turbans and carrying briefcases because they may have bombs, "but the information is not absolutely confirmed," what do you think the Anytown police are going to do? Will the local cops act rationally and cautiously, or will all hell break loose because CSIS must know what they're talking about.
The easy way out is to say Canadians are worth more than other people, so go ahead and torture a few foreigners.
Is the federal government complicit in torture if they use evidence passed to them by torturers? Can information extracted by torture ever be relied upon?
by Nevil Hunt
The Harper government says it has authorized CSIS to use information obtained by torture in "exceptional circumstances." If we're going to ignore torture, human rights and international conventions it would be kind of nice if the information resembled the truth.
Is a life in Canada worth more than a life elsewhere?
The federal government obviously believes so, and for some people it's an easy question to answer. It takes hardly any thought at all.
Harper's government reversed its policy and issued a directive in 2010 instructing CSIS to use information that may have been obtained by torture. The goal is to get information when "lives may be at stake."
"Canada does not condone torture, and does not engage in torture," Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said in question period on Tuesday.
On the surface we seem to have nice, clean hands. But take a moment to consider the real outcome of our actions and you'll have to go wash the blood off. Over and over.
If Canada accepts this information, we signal to the torturers that we value that information.
Following the same argument that applies to child porn – that consumption drives further production – it becomes clear that we are prompting people with pliers, electrodes and power drills to torture in the name of Canada. The guy with the pliers and the drill and the battery pack might as well be wearing a maple leaf on his shirt.
Above all, the acceptance of information extracted by torture is inhumane, and it would still be inhumane if the information was accurate. You either care about life or you don't care about life: pick one.
But there are experts – many of whom have worked in the shadows – who say people being tortured rarely provide useful information.
A suspect may not know the answer to the question being asked. They may lie on purpose. He or she may have faulty information in the first place. Or they may say anything – anything at all – to get the torturers to stop.
Given all the possibilities, the odds of getting something worthwhile from a suspect are slim to none.
So to return to the first question above. If you believe a life in Canada is worth more than a life elsewhere, then put your response aside for a moment and answer this: is it worth risking the life of a non-Canadian suspect in another country if the information received from that non-Canadian is incorrect?
By accepting information obtained by torture, we are condoning, encouraging and sponsoring torture. Then we can act on that information even though its veracity is unknown.
Toews says CSIS will take what they learn and, "share the necessary information, properly described and qualified – with the appropriate authorities."
If CSIS calls the Anytown police department and tells them to be on the lookout for people wearing turbans and carrying briefcases because they may have bombs, "but the information is not absolutely confirmed," what do you think the Anytown police are going to do? Will the local cops act rationally and cautiously, or will all hell break loose because CSIS must know what they're talking about.
The easy way out is to say Canadians are worth more than other people, so go ahead and torture a few foreigners.
Is the federal government complicit in torture if they use evidence passed to them by torturers? Can information extracted by torture ever be relied upon?