Canadian Opposition Parties To Call For Afghanistan Debate

The Canadian Parliament returns for its' fall session today, and opposition Party leaders are expected to demand a debate on (Bush Lite) Conservative Premier Stephen Harper's foreign policy. News that four more Canadian soldiers have been killed (bringing the total to 36), will definitely add fuel to the debate. When the Liberals, who held the majority of Parliament at the time sent Canada's military men and women into Afghanistan, they like the rest of NATO, did so believing they would be a rebuilding and peacekeeping force. They were NOT there as a military force persuing all out war. It was Stephen Harper who pushed our military into combat duty in order to kiss up to King George so he could continue his supposed "war on terror". Canada's military should not be used as an enabler of Bush's illegal occupation of Iraq by easing the burden of the U.S. military. Canada has more than 2,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, mostly in the Kandahar region. Last week, the Harper government announced that it was increasing the country's troop commitment to 2,500. CNEWS reported last week that NDP Leader Jack Layton will call for troop withdrawal: QUEBEC (CP) - The NDP has officially become Canada's first major political party to call for a withdrawal of the country's troops from Afghanistan. A party convention voted massively Saturday in favor of Leader Jack Layton's call for a pullout, giving his proposal an endorsement from grassroot members and making it formal NDP policy. More than 1,500 delegates voted overwhelmingly - about 90 per cent - in favor of a "safe and immediate" withdrawal. "We have a really strong show of support from our members here today," Layton told reporters after the vote. "Now we're calling on Canadians to join with us in calling on the Harper government to change the track he's currently on with (U.S. President) George Bush." And The Globe and Mail is reporting today that Bloc Quebcois Leader Gilles Duceppe will also call for the debate: NDP Leader Jack Layton said Monday he believes more Canadians are now questioning Canada's role in Afghanistan. "“I believe more and more Canadians are beginning to ask the questions that we've been asking and reaching the conclusions that we have been reaching, which is this is not a mission that is taking us toward success"” he said. "“All the indications are that it's causing more violence, that the life of the citizens in Afghanistan is not more secure."” The Bloc Quebcois has called for an urgent debate in the House of commons on Canada's foreign policy ahead of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's address to the United Nations on Sept. 21. The Harper Government for those not familiar with the Canadian Parliamentary system, means Harper has minority status with 124 elected MP's. The Liberals (103 MP's) BQ (51 MP's) and The New Democratic Party (29 MP's) make up the remainder of Parliament. Harper, who is seen as a "Bush clone" by most progressives in Canada, will have to tread very lightly in his attempt to tie Canada to the U.S. military policies.