Saturday's protests

This past Saturday, January 23, rallies and protests were held in various cities and towns across the country in response to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's decision to prorogue the House of Commons until March 3. If this was not undertaken, our MPs would already be back at work. Liberal leader and Leader of the Opposition Michael Ignatieff, and NDP Leader Jac Layton addressed thousands of protesters outside Parliament in Ottawa. The Prime Minister has claimed that delaying Parliament provides time to focus on the upcoming Olympic Games and for MPs to get back to their ridings, so they can obtain crucial feedback from their constituents. However many believe that Harper is just doing what he can to avoid questions, scrutiny and an inquiry regarding the government's knowledge of Canadian forces handing Afghan detainees over to the Afghan secret police, who then tortured and abused them. Placing detainees in the custody of those who would then torture them is an international war crime.