By Mary Simpson
The Conservative Party of Canada’s new ad using ISIS imagery of prisoners of war to attack the Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau’s stance on the terror group violates the Geneva Convention on the treatment of PoWs, according to an opposition member of parliament.
Charlie Angus, MP for Timmins—James Bay, pointed to a statement by the International Committee of the Red Cross during the first Gulf War where the humanitarian organization reminded the world that “it is forbidden to expose prisoners of war to public curiosity… and the essential thing is to make clear to all parties that PoWs should not be exposed in any form.”
The ICRC were referring to the Article 2 Geneva Convention of 1929 that states “Prisoners of war are in the power of the hostile Government, but not of the individuals or formation which captured them.
They shall at all times be humanely treated and protected, particularly against acts of violence, from insults and from public curiosity.”
“The thinking in the Harper ‘war-room’ seems to be that if ISIS isn’t bound by international law for humanitarian treatment of prisoners, neither are the vote hungry Conservatives,” the NDP MP said. “Seems there is no moral boundary Stephen Harper won’t transgress to score cheap political points on his enemies.”
Conservative campaign spokesman Kory Teneycke defended use of ISIS video in the ad in an interview with Global News Chief Political Correspondent Tom Clark.
“We’re better than news, because we’re truthful,” Teneycke said, brushing off allegations that the ad also violated Conservative government’s Bill C-51 which makes it a terrorism offence to share any content online that might promote terrorism.
