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The Canadian government is under fire for refusing to seek the repatriation of a teenage national held at Guantánamo Bay, who was shown desperately pleading for his country’s help in recently released footage.

Liberal politicians and human rights groups criticised Canada’s conservative prime minister, Stephen Harper, for the lack of action saying it undermined attempts to eradicate the use of child soldiers.

Toronto-born Omar Khadr’s US military lawyer called on Harper to “stand up and act like a prime minister of Canada” and demand the teenager’s return.

Footage of Khadr’s Guantánamo interrogation was released this week by his lawyers, in the hope it would spur the government into bringing him into the Canadian justice system.

Sooner or later, Canadian voters will have to move beyond their just repugnance over the national corruption of previous governments – and recognize the Harper government as not only backwards on domestic issues; but, harmful and reactionary on a global scale.