Retired Sgt. Layne Morris isn’t staying quiet in his opposition to the Canadian government’s $10.5-million deal with Omar Khadr.
He will appear on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News Network show on Tuesday, July 18 to let Americans know about the deal.
Morris was blinded in one eye during the 2002 attack in Afghanistan that killed fellow medic Sgt. Christopher Speer.
Khadr admitted to being part of that attack, but is now appealing that conviction.
“At some point you ought to be taking the principled stand to say, ‘I’m sorry Mr. Khadr, your reward is that you’re still walking and that you’re walking around alive, have a nice life. We’re not awarding you anything unless a Supreme Court forces us to.'”
Morris says the government should not have settled the Khadr lawsuit, but instead let the courts decide.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he didn’t like the deal, but it was in an effort to save money, as a court ruling could cost taxpayers between $30-40 million.
“It’s easy to understand why people are frustrated about this,” Trudeau told media in Calgary on Saturday. “I’m concerned about the money, as well, which as I said, is why we settled.”
“That’s particularly offensive, that the Trudeau government falls back on the, ‘We were trying to save Canadians money,'” Morris told Global News in an interview from Nauvoo, Ill.
Morris’ interview on the Fox News Network show comes a day after Conservative MP Michelle Rempel appeared on the program.
“This was a decision that was made by his government and not by a court of law and I think that’s quite confusing and quite outrageous for many Canadians.”
On the weekend, fellow Conservative MP Peter Kent wrote about his opposition to the deal in the Wall Street Journal.
Morris and Speer’s widow won a U.S. civil lawsuit against Khadr that awarded them USD$134 million, but it’s unlikely it could be enforced in Canada.
Their lawyers failed to have Khadr’s assets frozen last week in Toronto, as they attempt to make the American lawsuit valid in Canada.
That legal process could take months or years.
The Supreme Court has previously ruled the Canadian government didn’t respect Khadr’s rights as a citizen when he was held in detention at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The prime minister says the actions of previous Conservative and Liberal governments forced his hand.
“We decided that it was the right thing to do — to settle — both because it was the fiscally responsible thing to do, but because we recognize when governments violate Canadian’s fundamental rights, there have to be consequences.”
Morris says he will continue with his legal action against Khadr and his attempts to raise awareness about a deal he thinks is wrong.
“It’s not that I’m interested in the money,” Morris said.
“I’m interested in Omar Khadr not having it.”
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