The Public Pulse

"What we see is Canadians taking a harder line, a harder stance when it comes to public safety and the domestic terror file -- and yet it softens when it comes to Omar Khadr."
"They cannot find consensus ... whether this is a reformed young man who means what he says around doing right and how he doesn't harbour violent tendencies or radicalized tendencies anymore."
Shachi Kurl, senior vice-president, Angus Reid Institute

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette   Omar Khadr speaks to his lawyer Dennis Edney outside his new home after being granted bail in Edmonton on Thursday, May 7, 2015.

Well, now, let's see; Canadians are polarized over their opinions and attitudes with respect to Omar Khadr, and why might that be? Perhaps because Canadians are typically given to insisting that people get a second chance to redeem themselves. Perhaps because a public relations initiative was launched to convince Canadians that the 'young man' was only a 'boy' when he was taught to handle firearms, and how to improvise explosive devices.

And as a young boy of fifteen involved himself as a fedayeen in Afghanistan. As a loyal Islamist whose family was close to Osama bin Laden, Omar Khadr's father famously/infamously being a fund-raiser for al-Qaeda, choosing to remain and to fight alongside more seasoned Islamists. But it was he who threw a grenade that killed a U.S. Army medic and half-blinded another. And it was American medics who saved the life of the badly injured young man.

His family, Egyptian-born but two generations having settled in Canada and attained citizenship, detest Canada for its democratic and pluralist values, while esteeming its social welfare system. Which still wasn't enough of a draw to keep them in Canada; instead responding to the call of Islamic jihad. So with this background, and a mother and sister who still spit vile invective at Canada while remaining resident there, we are to believe that Omar Khadr is a new man.

Some do believe that. According to the latest poll conducted by Angus Reid, Canadians appear just about evenly split over the decision by an Alberta court to approve bail for Omar Khadr who is now living happily with his lawyer, a man who prefers to slander the Prime Minister of Canada, and laud his client as a decent and likeable young man.



Of the decision to release Khadr, 38 percent of respondents agreed, while 39 percent disagreed, and 23 percent were uncertain. Manitoba and Saskatchewan were least supportive of his release, while B.C. and Alberta were stronger in their support for his release. A majority, albeit slim, of 55 percent agreed that Khadr "remains a potential radicalized threat", while 52 percent agreed he "served his time -- 13 years is enough".

And, the ahah! moment: 67 percent agreed that Khadr was a "child soldier", who should have been treated accordingly.