Speaker OKs Compromise Deal Over Access To Sensitive Afghan Documents
Posted June 17, 2010 3:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Speaker of the House of Commons has given his seal of approval to a deal that will give select MPs access to thousands of sensitive Afghan detainee documents.
Peter Milliken’s ruling means representatives of the Conservatives, Liberals and Bloc Quebecois will be able to start sifting through some 40,000 documents as early as next month.
But it also means New Democrats will be shut out of the process.
The NDP walked out of last-ditch negotiations earlier this week, claiming the government had set conditions to prevent full disclosure of all relevant documents.
The NDP wanted Milliken to find that the agreement falls short of his historic April 27 ruling, in which the Speaker confirmed MPs’ absolute right to unfettered access to all uncensored detainee documents.
The documents relate to the treatment of war prisoners Canadian troops turned over to Afghan authorities.
