New Democrats have been right all along on detainees

OTTAWA - Even before the first signs of detainee abuse in Afghan prisons got to Canada, New Democrats warned the Conservatives to avoid having Canada mired in a prisoner abuse scandal.

Even while experts like Richard Colvin were issuing the same warnings to top officials, the Conservatives’ response has been the same: deny, deny, deny.

How we got to here:

5 April 2006: NDP defence critic Dawn Black calls on the Conservatives to ensure Canada’s prisoner transfer agreement reflects “our values as Canadians.” Stephen Harper’s defence minister declines: “We have no intention of redrafting the agreement … there is no need to make any change in the agreement.” - Gordon O’ Connor, Hansard.

26 May 2006: Richard Colvin, the Political Director, Provincial Reconstruction Team files his first “serious, imminent and alarming” action message on Afghan detainees, KANDH-0029.

19 March 2007: “Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor has apologized for telling the House of Commons that the Red Cross would share information with Ottawa about alleged abuses of detainees after Canadian troops handed them over to Afghan authorities.” CBC.ca

20 April 2007: Colvin files an action message with 71 addresses in Foreign Affairs, and National Defence, including the Provost Marshal, KBGR-0258.

23 April 2007: “Afghans detained by Canadian soldiers and sent to Kandahar's notorious jails say they were beaten, whipped, starved, frozen, choked and subjected to electric shocks during interrogation.” - Graeme Smith, Globe and Mail.

24 April 2007: Colvin sends action message on detainees as chargé d'affaires of diplomatic mission on Afghanistan, and response to “diplomatic contingency plan” drafted by National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, KBGR-0261.

24 April 2007: NDP leader Jack Layton calls on Harper to fire the defence minister. The Prime Minister denies reports of abuse and blames the Taliban: “Allegations to the effect that we are not living up to our responsibilities are only being made by the Taliban.” Hansard.

25 April 2007: “The Harper government knew from its own officials that prisoners held by Afghan security forces faced the possibility of torture, abuse and extrajudicial killing.” Globe and Mail

25 April 2007: Colvin files four reports on detainees, including two formal ones, sent to senior officials in Ottawa, including the head of the Afghanistan Task Force, KBGR-0263, KBGR-0265.

29 April 2007: Conservatives continue to deny detainee abuse: "We have yet to see one specific allegation of torture. If they have one, we'd be happy to chase it down” Peter Van Loan, CTV Question Period.