MP Dan McTeague, the Liberal critic for consular services, asked during Tuesday's question period if the government would seek clemency for a Canadian in Saudi Arabia who has been sentenced to death for killing a youth.

Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier told the House that Canada was "very disappointed" with the verdict against Montrealer Mohamed Kohail and that he, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Secretary of State Helena Guergis have had discussions with Saudi authorities about the case.

"We're prepared to help the family so that they can appeal that decision, and we hope that ultimately the verdict can be changed," Bernier said. Kohail has 80 days to appeal the verdict.

The government confirmed Monday that Kohail, 23, was found guilty of murder in Saudi Arabia and sentenced to beheading.

Kohail, who has been living temporarily in Saudi Arabia, was convicted of killing an 18-year-old student in a schoolyard brawl in the city of Jeddah in January 2007.

McTeague, who has also urged Ottawa to investigate allegations that Kohail's confessions were made under duress, criticized the government for tossing Canada's decades-old foreign policy to seek clemency for Canadians under the death penalty.

Family friends have urged the government to intervene more forcefully, alleging that Kohail was the victim of an unfair investigation and trial.

Kohail allegedly got involved in the deadly brawl after his brother, Sultan, 16, called him to school begging for help. A boy had accused Sultan of insulting a girl at school, and Sultan wanted his older brother to defend him.

According to the brother's previous accounts, Kohail arrived at the school with a friend to find a group of men waiting for him, some armed with clubs and knives. A fight erupted and Syrian Haraki died during the brawl.

Both Kohail and his brother were arrested and jailed in Jeddah, although the Globe and Mail reports that the younger brother has since been freed.

Kohail grew up in Saudi Arabia, but moved to Montreal as a teenager. He and his family temporarily moved back to Saudi Arabia to attend a wedding, but intended to return to Montreal, where they still own a home.

With files from the Canadian Press