Returning ISIS Terrorists

Global News reported that a high-profile member of ISIS has been arrested by Syrian forces while attempting to return to Canada. The ISIS member, Muhammad Ali, left Canada in 2014 to join ISIS. In addition to serving as a sniper, he also used social media to encourage others to join ISIS and conduct terrorist attacks. The Syrian forces want to hand Ali and a dozen other Canadians over to the RCMP, but the current Liberal government is claiming that there is no guarantee that the ISIS fighters would face arrest upon their return. This is a most concerning stance by the current government, given the tools it has at its disposal thanks to our previous Conservative government.

We, the Conservative Official Opposition, believe that any individual who took up arms against Canada and our allies by joining ISIS should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Such individuals need to be held accountable for their actions and we must remember that these are people who've committed some of the most gruesome crimes imaginable, as our leader, Andrew Scheer, recently pointed out. They, therefore, need to go to prison for the crimes they've committed.

Unfortunately, the current Liberal government has shown a preference for “reintegration” over prosecution. What's worse is that the current government's justice bill reduces sentences for travelling overseas to engage in terrorism to as little as a fine. This government must be transparent with Canadians about their plan to deal with returning ISIS terrorists.

The previous Conservative government has given the current Liberal government the necessary tools to hold ISIS terrorists accountable and to protect Canadians. It's shameful that in case after case they are unwilling to use them and instead we're learning this government is instead offering returning Canadian ISIS terrorists poetry lessons.

We, the Conservative Official Opposition, will continue to hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the current Liberal government accountable and will focus on making sure that Canadians are protected from those who would do us harm.