'This is really wrong and I have to correct that wrong by bringing this person (back to Canada) even if I lose some political points with Islamophobes.' Mr. Harper is playing politics because of the backdrop of Islamophobia in this country... he has to rise above that." Elmasry contrasted Khadr's case with that of dual Canadian-British citizen William Sampson, who was freed from a death sentence in Saudi Arabia in 2003. Elmasry specifically wrote that: Why is Stephen Harper so callously indifferent to Omar Khadr's case? It's painfully obvious: William Sampson is a white Westerner while his fellow Canadian citizen, Omar Khadr, is brown-skinned and a Muslim. However, Elmasry later stated that he was attempting to explain Harper's stance on the file and was not accusing the prime minister of prejudice against Muslims. Kory Teneycke, Harper's director of communications, responded that if "there is a party playing politics with this case, it's certainly not the Conservative party. The Liberal party is reversing a position that it held for a number of years while in government with respect to how the serious charges against Mr. Khadr should be dealt with. We are very late in that process now and it would be inappropriate to make a change." Teneycke did not comment specifically on Elmasry's words. Environment In August 2008, Elmasry suggested Stéphane Dion and his Green Shift plan could sell to Canadians if he used a green surcharge as well. He also suggested that Canada follow the example of Europe rather than the US when it comes to the environment. Slavery in Islam In an article written in The Canadian Charger in August 2009, Elmasry wrote that: Islam teaches that slaves, who were then the result of wars, Africans or not, should be treated well and set free as soon as possible...Islam also teaches that slaves can buy their freedom in-kind. Thus many of them excelled to be teachers and even scholars … Islam teaches a slave is a victim of circumstances who should be helped to be free and treated fairly in the mean time. Trading in slaves is a sin. This is in contrast to the teachings of the Bible, "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling." Jonathan Kay, writing in the National Post'', sharply criticized Elmasry. Describing Elmasry's statements as an "absurd elevation of Islam over Christianity", Kay noted that religious Christians led the abolition movement