Feds flip-flop on Khadr appeal.

This is from the Edmonton Sun.

Cannon is a loose cannon. In a short space he manages to commit the fallacy of ad populum and ad hominem. Instead of presenting an argument as to why the court decision ought to be appealed Cannon simply appeals to popular feelings against Khadr (ad populum) and also launches a personal attack on Khadr rather than the decision (ad hominem). This is disgraceful and disgusting but about par for the course given the level of political discourse in this country at times. But as the article shows even Harper has not decided for sure on an appeal as yet. Maybe he is sniffing the political winds.


April 25, 2009
Feds flip-flop on Khadr appeal
By ALTHIA RAJ
Confusion reigned over Omar Khadr's fate yesterday as Conservatives flip-flopped over a possible legal appeal and suggested he might have built bombs like the ones that have killed Canadian soldiers.
This week a Federal Court judge ordered the feds to repatriate Khadr from Guantanamo Bay, but Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon told MPs the government would appeal the decision.
Cannon also likened images of Khadr allegedly building bombs to the types of explosives that recently killed a soldier in Afghanistan.
"We saw this man apparently trying to build the same bombs that have taken the lives of a certain number of our soldiers, including Karine Blais, who died last week," Cannon said.
NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar called the minister's words "reprehensible" and demanded he apologize for disrespecting fallen soldiers.
"It's very strange. It's quite bizarre and it's quite sad. He seems to be using the tragedy of the loss of lives of Canadian soldiers to defend an indefensible position of the Canadian government not to do its job and repatriate Mr. Khadr," he said.
Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae said the government is orchestrating a "smear campaign" against Khadr to deflect attention from its own inaction.
"There is a serious decision of the Federal Court and Mr. Cannon has chosen to change the subject and frame the discussion in a completely different way," said Rae.
Khadr was 15 when he was accused of throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan in 2002.
Cannon's spokeswoman, Catherine Loubier, said the minister might have spoken prematurely when he said the government would appeal the Federal Court's order.
The government is leaning that way, but wants more legal advice before making a decision, which is expected within 30 days, she said.