Omar Khadr: How Has Public Opinion Influenced Public Policy?
POSC 3350 Public Opinion
Omar Khadr: How has Public Opinion influenced Public Policy?
Choose an issue- for example: gay rights, abortion, foreign policy , the death, penalty, taxes, and so on- and write a paper discussing the nature of the public opinion about this issue, and how/ why it may have changed over time.
Alyson Kwan
200627230
Dr. Amanda Bittner
November 18th 2010
The case of Omar Khadr has been a political hot potato since 2002. When captured by US forces in Afghanistan in July 2002 he was 15 years old. The last 8 years for Omar Khadr have been spent in captivity at the infamous Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, where he has endured interrogation, segregation and what many also believe to be torture. Today he is the only remaining western citizen or NATO ally still incarcerated. All others have returned to their countries of origin. While his story might be commonplace in some third world countries, it is one that has received much attention in Canada, for Omar Khadr is a Canadian citizen. His imprisonment has garnered worldwide criticism from human and legal rights groups. Although there has been much printed in the daily press, discussed in the media and in Parliament, the majority of Canadians have shown little passion for his plight or the potential ramifications on Canadian democracy. Angus Reid Public Opinion has done at least a dozen surveys over the past 4 years. All support the stance that Canadians have been consistently divided on the fate of Omar Khadr. Canadians have remained in one of two camps, right wing Conservatives versus left wing liberals : those who see Omar Khadr as a murdering jihadist and those who see him as a victim of the Afghanistan war. The results of the surveys reflect public opinion and thus should be a significant independent influence over public policy. The reality in this case is that the divided polls have not provided solid direction to the government. Thus public policy has been stifled. This
Omar Khadr: How has Public Opinion influenced Public Policy?
Choose an issue- for example: gay rights, abortion, foreign policy , the death, penalty, taxes, and so on- and write a paper discussing the nature of the public opinion about this issue, and how/ why it may have changed over time.
Alyson Kwan
200627230
Dr. Amanda Bittner
November 18th 2010
The case of Omar Khadr has been a political hot potato since 2002. When captured by US forces in Afghanistan in July 2002 he was 15 years old. The last 8 years for Omar Khadr have been spent in captivity at the infamous Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, where he has endured interrogation, segregation and what many also believe to be torture. Today he is the only remaining western citizen or NATO ally still incarcerated. All others have returned to their countries of origin. While his story might be commonplace in some third world countries, it is one that has received much attention in Canada, for Omar Khadr is a Canadian citizen. His imprisonment has garnered worldwide criticism from human and legal rights groups. Although there has been much printed in the daily press, discussed in the media and in Parliament, the majority of Canadians have shown little passion for his plight or the potential ramifications on Canadian democracy. Angus Reid Public Opinion has done at least a dozen surveys over the past 4 years. All support the stance that Canadians have been consistently divided on the fate of Omar Khadr. Canadians have remained in one of two camps, right wing Conservatives versus left wing liberals : those who see Omar Khadr as a murdering jihadist and those who see him as a victim of the Afghanistan war. The results of the surveys reflect public opinion and thus should be a significant independent influence over public policy. The reality in this case is that the divided polls have not provided solid direction to the government. Thus public policy has been stifled. This