George W. Bush Welcoming Committee-Saskatoon on Facebook: Over 1,800 people have joined and the group is planning a rally for October 21, 2009. To join or print a “Wanted for War Crimes: G.W. Bush, poster, go to
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=130160394722
Criminal Complaint against G.W. Bush to the Saskatoon Chief of Police: Sandra Finley. On September 10, 2009 Sandra delivered a letter to the Saskatoon Chief of Police advising him of G.W. Bush’ visit to Saskatoon on Oct. 21 and asking him to commence an investigation of Bush for torture and other crimes. Appended to the letter were: a list of the applicable Canadian laws, a list of briefs of evidence of Bush’ involvement in torture and other crimes and statements regarding Bush’ personal culpability for crimes of a number of people, including former U.S. Attorney General Ramsay Clark and former U.S. star prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi. Also included was a news item about the criminal investigation of U.S. lawyers who wrote the torture memos approved by Bush and Rumsfeld by the Spanish Court. http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1425#1425
The Saskatoon Chief of Police is apparently not aware that torture and other war crimes and crimes against humanity are crimes in Canada no matter when they occurred and no matter what the nationality of the perpetrators or victims. (such as the Criminal Code, the Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes Act and the Geneva Convention Act). He is also apparently not aware that once a suspected perpetrator of one of these crimes (Bush is suspected of committing crimes falling into 269 different categories of crimes–replied by saying,
“This letter is in response to your correspondence dated September 10 and September 14, 2009 regarding the upcoming visit of George W. Bush.
Although the pending visit may not be popular with some people/organizations, there is no legal ramification to bar the event. In reply to your request for the Saskatoon Police Service to begin an investigation into past actions by the former President; as a municipal
police agency in Canada, we have no jurisdiction in this matter of international law.”
N.B. Under Canadian laws, including the Criminal Code (in force since 1987), the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act (in force since 2000), and the Geneva Conventions Act (in force since 1985), torture and other war crimes and crimes against humanity– committed anywhere in the world, by and against any person(s)–are crimes in Canada and Canada has a legal duty to prosecute such crimes. The duty to prosecute such crimes committed outside Canada, under the Criminal Code and the Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes Act is triggered when the suspected perpetrators enters Canada and/or when a victim is a Canadian citizen. Under the Geneva Conventions Act, the jurisdiction to prosecute does not require a trigger. Prosecutions require the written consent of the Attorney General of Canada. Under the Criminal Code a citizen can lay an information alleging torture without the prior consent of the Attorney General of Canada.
Edmonton Alberta: Two people have expressed interest in laying an information for torture against Bush under the Criminal Code. LAW has information about how to lay a private information for torture and some draft wording for torture charges against Bush and Cheney.
Montreal: A Montreal lawyer is exploring the possibility of bringing an application in Federal Court for an order of mandamus compelling the government to prevent Bush, Blair and Cheney from entering Canada under the provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Bush visit to cost taxpayers over $500,00: A Globe and Mail article (Bill Curry writing on September 26) estimates that the cost of Bush’ visits will exceed $500,000, based on the Calgary cost of $124,000 to the RCMP alone: Toronto was $108,000. That apparently does not include the cost of local police. An ex-police officer phoned LAW last week to advise that he suspected Bush was and will be given special permission to bring his own body guards along with their own arms across the border with him.
LAW’s September 10, 2009 letter is available http://www.lawyersagainstthewar.org/letters.html
