Pierre Lemieux Chosen to View Afghan Detainee Documents

OTTAWA - Pierre Lemieux, Member of Parliament for Glengarry–Prescott–Russell, has been personally selected by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to be one of only two Conservative MPs to be part of the important committee that is reviewing Afghan detainee documents. Tens of thousands of uncensored pages relating to Canada's handling of Afghan detainees will be examined by the security-cleared committee of MPs in the upcoming weeks and months.    

Given Mr. Lemieux’s extensive past service in the Canadian Armed Forces, his experience is expected to provide a unique and indispensible insight during document review process.

“My 20 year military background is sure to prove invaluable as I review these documents,” said Mr. Lemieux. “It was a great honour to serve in our Canadian forces, and I am honoured to have been chosen as a member of the Review Committee.”

The Afghan Detainee Document Review Committee is the result of an historic decision made by Speaker of the House of Commons, Peter Milliken. Mr Milliken ruled, in May 2010, that while MPs have a right to view sensitive, classified materials in their original form (in this case pertaining to Afghan detainees), the government must also protect national security.

The Committee was formed when three federal parties (the Conservatives, the Liberals and the Bloc Quebecois) reached an agreement that allows MP access to classified documents without compromising national security. Mr Lemieux will be working closely with an independent panel of three respected jurists – former Supreme Court of Canada justices Frank Iacobucci and Claire L'Heureux-Dubé and former B.C. Supreme Court judge Donald Brenner - who have been chosen to make rulings on what information can be released publicly without compromising national security.

"A Committee of this type is quite unique,” observed Mr. Lemieux. “The agreement we reached with the Opposition parties reflects our government’s willingness to work with the Opposition in an open and accountable manner.”