Even the Canadian military are tired of Harper

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

The head of Canada’s largest veterans’ organization is upset that the Prime Minister, not the Governor-General, will be presented with a Canadian flag that has become a key Afghanistan war memento during ceremonies to commemorate the 12-year military engagement.

Full story: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/flag-from-afghanistan-war-should-go-to-johnston-not-har...

[stevephinn2012]

Much like YOU do not speak for the MAJORITY -he also only speaks for HIMSELF and NOT the entire Military!!! 

[valve37]

The governor general will then inspect the troops before the handing over of the flag-containing baton, which will be passed from Major General Dean Milner to Chief of Defence Staff Tom Lawson to the PM, who will present it to the Governor General.

And so it was!

[nuvistors]

Some people are able to twist facts to suit their  leftist agenda.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

No one twisted anything. My article came out May 8 and May 9th valve's came out. It seems Harper did a flip flop. An election on the horizon has a tendency to do that.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Only dictators speak for themselves, instead of their country.

[stevephinn2012]

Really is a shame that NEITHER of the other leaders thought that the day was important enough to even bother showing up!!

Not as if it was planned on short notice as this has been planned for at least 3 or 4 months!!!

[stevephinn2012]

So the leader of the legion is a dictator ?? He himself said it was HIS opinion only!!!

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Afghanistan was a waste of time, money and lives for helping US corporate interests. We got sucked into a lie. I wouldn't show up either. What I would do is get elected and then give the military vets the help they need which Harper is NOT DOING. I was at a legion two Saturdays ago with about 70 people and not one vet wants anything to do with Harper. Harper also wanted us to go into Iraq and that just wasn't a lie, it was an illegal war. Get to know your history. 

[nuvistors]

We  must not forget that it was a war-mongering Liberal government that sent soldiers to Iraq.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Yes it was because we bought into the story we were told. However Harper increased the presence in Afghanistan. The Liberals had decided to withdraw soldiers by 2006 because the mission had been virtually accomplished but Harper changed that and extended the mission plus adding more troops and tanks.

[stevephinn2012]

soldiers by 2006 because the mission had been virtually accomplished but Harper changed that and extended the mission plus adding more troops and tanks.

really???   Harper did that ?? 

l
last time I checked the history books and the FACTS (I know you hate when they get involved in your little stories) it was a MINORITY government which means ALL PARTIES had to agree or it would have been voted DOWN !!!

Please please please get your FACTS straight!!!

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

2001 Canada went into Afghanistan with approx 40 soldiers in an exchange program with the US. Chretien was the PM. The number of soldiers was later increased.

Martin the next PM had planned to remove combat soldiers by 2006.

Harper gets elected Feb 2006 and cancelled the 2006 removal and extended Canada’s participation in the war.

You should be doing your research.

I will give Harper credit for finally ending the mission after he extended it yet again in 2012 for a year, but I believe his final withdrawal came from the increasing reluctance of the Canadian population to be involved.  

[pierrelebel]

Some facts:

"The last extension was approved in a House of Commons motion passed in March 2008, several months after the recommendations of a government-appointed panel, chaired by former deputy prime minister John Manley, on the future of Canada’s role in Afghanistan. In addition to setting the 2011 timeline for the withdrawal of combat troops from Kandahar, the House motion established ambitious goals for Afghanistan’s security, governance and development."

Now... fast forward to a Conservative majority government....

http://www.parl.gc.ca/content/lop/researchpublications/2010-26-e.htm

I am sorry for the long document issued by Parliament.  It does take some time to get real/factual information from the government.

[valve37]

Wonder where Leslie is on topics like this? Still licking the wounds from election 2011?

[stevephinn2012]

Harper gets elected Feb 2006 and cancelled the 2006 removal and extended Canada’s participation in the war.

You should be doing your research.

Although several public opinion polls predicted that the  2006 election would result in either a strong Conservative minority or a slight majority, the Liberals enjoyed a last-minute surge but were unable to overtake the Conservatives. However, the surge did result in the smallest minority government in Canadian history, with the smallest percentage of government seats ever and the largest number of seats short of a majority. All parties held the balance of power, the Liberal party with 102 seats, the Bloc Québécois with 51 seats, and the NDP with 29 seats. Andre Arthur, a popular radio host from Quebec city , was the only independent elected. As Liberal Peter Milliken was reelected as Speaker, the Conservatives now effectively held a minority only 29 seats short of a majority as the Speaker traditionally votes only to break a tie and always in favour of the status quo. Thus, the Conservatives held a majority together with any one of the opposition parties, assuming no defections. This status was changed midway through the 39th parliament, when maverick MP Garth Turner was ousted from the Conservative caucus for allegedly violating "caucus confidentiality".

[stevephinn2012]

Canada has been continuously engaged in the international effort in Afghanistan through military and non-military forms of assistance. Indeed, these contributions represent both Canada’s largest combat role since the Korean war and largest-ever investment of aid resources in a developing country. By 2011 Canada will have provided nearly $2 billion in cumulative civilian aid and much more in military support. There were few Canadian casualties in the first years of military deployment. That changed in 2006 and subsequent years after Canada’s decision in 2005 to undertake a dangerous combat role in Kandahar province. This military mission, with an authorized strength of 2,830 Canadian Forces personnel, has been extended several times but is due to end in July 2011

ummm   does that say the decision in 2005 ???  I think that's what I read ..    can someone confirm that it says the 2005 Decisions please.  Now let me go check the history books and the FACTS as to WHO was PM in 2005 when this Decision that they speak about was made!   

Yep that would be the LIBERAL Paul Edgar Martin . And this John Manley that chaired the board on the mission, ummm  what party was he from ??   gone to check........ Yep says he was a LIBERAL.... 

[pierrelebel]

You are right: checking the facts would be most useful:

"On October 12, 2007, Manley was appointed by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to head an independent, non-partisan panel reviewing Canada's mission and future role in Afghanistan, a position he had discussed with Liberal leader Stéphane Dion beforehand."

That is correct: Manley was appointed by Harper.

[stevephinn2012]

was or was not Manley a liberal? 

On October 12, 2007, Manley was appointed by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to head an independent, non-partisan panel reviewing Canada's mission and future role in Afghanistan, a position he had discussed with Liberal leader Stéphane Dion beforehand. Both Dion and Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae had encouraging words for the panel.

Manley's panel reported on Canada's Afghanistan mission to Prime Minister Harper on January 28, 2008. Harper accepted the findings, which argued for an indefinite extension of the mission beyond February 2009, but also pointed to logistical and equipment shortfalls, communications challenges with telling the mission's story to Canadians, and a coming manpower strength shortage. The report's recommendations were accepted by the house when the Liberals backed them along with the Conservatives

[stevephinn2012]

Wondering why no reply about the FACT that the decision to extend was made in 2005 while the LIBERALS were in power?