So when do the Bill Graham, Jean Chretien, Paul Martin , John Baird and Stephen Harper and the FSOs and CSIS officials responsible for his illegal and prolonged detention at GITMO apologise?
Perhaps it is comforting that Canada has "apologised" in the abstract but real people made these decisions and there were crucial junctures along the way that demonstrate they chose one path when several choices - including the right ones - were open to them.
Did they capitulate to American pressure? Did they engage in willful blindness? Were they ignorant of the law? Or were they involved in deception? Or was it merely the "fog of war"?
In some ways all of the above likely are true. After all, some of these officials turned a blind eye to the Afghan detainee abuse scandal and tried to cover it up from public scrutiny.
We forget that the Harper's government proroguing and collapse in 2006 was a result of this coverup. Real leaders would have resigned.