The King’s University in Edmonton, Alta., has offered Omar Khadr admission into their university should he be released on bail on his March 24 court hearing, pending an appeal of his 2010 conviction in a US military court.
According to Dan Vankeeken, The King’s University vice-president of institutional advancement, if Khadr applies to the university, he will be accepted as a mature student to pursue a Bachelor of Arts.
“This is our business. We know this student. This decision is the next logical step in a six-year-long teaching relationship a number of our professors have had with Omar, which started at the request of the U.S. military. We know him to be a diligent, capable student,” Vankeeken said.
Vankeeken said he acknowledges the university’s first commitment is to institutional safety and that they rely upon the judgment of the court to determine when Omar is ready to rejoin the community. When he is, the school will be ready to welcome him, Vankeeken said.
While this has received mixed feelings from the Canadian public, many are coming out to support Khadr should he wish to further pursue his education.
“The King’s University is a Christian institution that highly values social justice. We believe that as Christians, we are called to minister to everyone—the labeled, the marginalized, and the oppressed,” said Brenna Hansen, president of The King’s University Student’s Association.
“Rather than surrendering to fear, we are called to create relationships of understanding and reconciliation. Inviting Omar to continue his education at King’s is simply the next step in a long, fruitful relationship with him. Not only is it an opportunity for him to pursue a quality education, but it allows King’s to live out its mission as a Christian university,” she said.
Khadr’s lawyer, Dennis Edney QC, said he doesn’t think Khadr’s safety will be threatened if he decides to pursue post-secondary studies, and that they “cannot allow fear to control [their] decisions.” He also said should Khadr be released, he would be residing with Edney QC and his family.
Michelle Shepard, a national security reporter for the Toronto Star, has been covering Khadr’s case for the last 12 years.
“I think everyone deserves an education, and Khadr deserves the best chance of succeeding in society when he is released. That benefits both Khadr and the public,” Shepard said. “I get frustrated at how so many Canadians continue to have a black and white view of the case when it is really nuanced and involves so many issues. There has been a lot of good coverage of the Khadr case, but he has also been portrayed by some as a caricature.”
