It was agreed, — Whereas Omar Khadr, a Canadian born citizen is being held as an enemy combatant in the United States Detention Facility at Guantanamo Bay Cuba;
And whereas Canada is a signatory to the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict;
And whereas this Protocol defines a child combatant to be children under the age of eighteen years;
And whereas the crimes Mr. Khadr is alleged to have committed in battle, took place when Mr. Khadr was fifteen years old and by the definition of the Optional Protocol was a child soldier at that time;
And whereas the trial of Omar Khadr is expected to take place in June of this year;
Be it resolved that the Subcommittee set as a priority order of business to hear witnesses regarding Mr. Khadr`s case, including Mr. Khadr`s lawyers, experts and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to garner evidence and prepare a report to the Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee for Parliament on the case of the detention and prosecution of Omar Khadr, unless the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development commences hearings on the same matter.