Liberal Vice-Chair of the House of Commons Special Committee on Afghanistan, Bryon Wilfert, today wrote to Chair Rick Casson on behalf of all opposition committee members to demand a written explanation of Tuesday’s orchestrated boycott by Conservative MPs of the committee’s inquiry into the Afghan torture controversy.
“Tuesday’s coordinated boycott – along with Conservative talking points attacking the committee’s motives – shows disrespect for Parliament and the seriousness of the torture allegations we were set to discuss,” said Mr. Wilfert.
Committee chairs have no discretion to call off a meeting once it has been properly requested by a sufficient number of members.
“Absent an explanation, we can only assume that the Conservative no-show makes them complicit in the ongoing cover-up about torture in Afghanistan,” said Mr. Wilfert.
Without quorum, the committee was unable to formally consider the torture allegations. Absent without explanation were Conservative MPs Rick Casson, Laurie Hawn, Jim Abbott, Greg Kerr, Dave MacKenzie, and Deepak Obhrai.
“As Mr. Colvin’s letter made clear, all roads in this scandal lead to the Office of the Prime Minister,” said Mr. Wilfert. “Will they stop at nothing to prevent the truth from coming to light – even going so far as threatening to prorogue Parliament and derail all of the nation’s business?”
