The precedent in these cases was made in 2007 by Stephen Harper, when he awarded Maher Arar $10.5 million for the government's role in the brutal mistreatment he received.  (On incorrect information provided by the Canadian government, Maher Arar was detained by US officials and deported to a Syrian prison. There he was incarcerated for about a year, and tortured. The cost of that horrible mistake was $10.5 million in compensation.)

As for Omar Khadr, Canadian officials were complicit in his torture when he was but 16 years old. He endured almost 10 years confinement in Guantanamo, before serving an addition 5 years in Canadian maximum and medium security prisons. At every turn his rights were willfully ignored by the Canadian government. For that we're getting off lightly at $10.5M.

Omar's guilt or innocence are of no consequence in this matter. He paid his debt to society for any transgressions he may have made. Now it's time for society to pay for ours.