Friday, June 02, 2006
Jack Layton's speech on Canada's role in Afghanistan - Wednesday May 13, 2006
NDP Leader Jack Layton's speech from today's debate in the House of Commons on Canada's role in Afghanistan.
As I begin I wish to express on behalf of all New Democrats our profound sadness in learning today that Captain Nichola Goddard, based in Shilo, Manitoba, has been killed in service to our country, in Afghanistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with Captain Goddard’s family, friends, and indeed all members of the Canadian forces serving our country at home and abroad.
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats stand in opposition to this government’s plans to lock our country into a long-term war-fighting role in Afghanistan, a role that does not properly reflect the principles and ideals of the people of Canada.
For nearly five decades Canada has pursued peace in nations around the world…and brought hope to lives torn apart by war, from the Suez Canal to Cyprus, from the Sinai to the former Yugoslavia, Canada has built a reputation as a respected peacekeeping nation.
Canada is not a super power, but as a middle power we have long punched above our weight because of our contribution to the world as peacekeepers, with resolve to uphold the commitment to multilateralism through the United Nations. Our foreign policy must reflect the reality that we are a country renowned for our pursuit of peace, we are a nation of facilitators not occupiers, we are a people committed to the ideals of building bridges not burning them, we must not allow that legacy of good work to falter in the growing shadow of the Bush Administration’s Operation Enduring Freedom.
It is a convenient invention to claim that each new mission is merely an extension of the last, what the government is asking for is not an extension, but the commitment to a new mission that will engage our country until the end of this decade.
There are those in this house, on both side of the aisle, who will claim that if Canada re-directs its efforts, after four years in Afghanistan, all will be lost. There are those who are prepared to see Canada embroiled in Afghanistan to the end of this decade and beyond – they have claimed that anything less will amount to cutting and running.
But the plain truth of the matter is that Canada's military contribution has been substantial, given our capabilities. And Afghanistan is now the largest recipient of Canadian overseas development assistance. The NDP unequivocally supports the continuation of this funding. And we fully support an ongoing development and diplomatic role for Canada in Afghanistan, but the government has tied war-making and aid together in this motion and we oppose that.
New Democrats, indeed all Canadians value our country’s principled place in the world as a nation that seeks peace not conflict. There is a role well suited for Canada to play in Afghanistan, but it is not the role that the government has narrowly thrust upon the nation in this motion. We must also bear in mind that because of the unilateral decisions of this Prime Minister and the Liberals before him, Canada has been rendered incapable of further serious contributions in the world.
Mr. Speaker, despite hard won debates, and months of questioning in this House, this government, like the Liberal government before it, has refused to answer the questions we have asked: What is the effective command and control structure? What are the goals and objectives of this mission and how do they meet Canada's foreign policy objectives? What is the definition of success for this mission? And what is our exit strategy?
When the Conservatives were in opposition they asked these legitimate questions and received no answers from the Liberals. Just a few weeks ago, New Democrats asked these same questions and received no answers from the Conservatives. Canadians deserve the answers.
Mr. Speaker, as any soldier will tell you; ‘time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted’. But this government, like its Liberal predecessor, is not interested in due diligence. It is interested in merely satisfying the optics of consent.
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats will not write a blank cheque for this government, or any government, to drag Canada further into war, to drag our country further away from our place in the world as a nation of peace and peacekeeping.
It may be the prerogative of this Prime Minister and his government to blindfold the members of this house, to tie our hands behind our backs, and then proceed with the sham of so called debate, but Canadians will not be blinded, we will not be bullied into accepting the unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, time after time, I have stood in my place and asked this Prime Minister directly to fully inform Canadians about our role in Afghanistan. And time after time, this Prime Minister has stood in his place and refused to answer these fundamental questions. Instead this Prime Minister has proclaimed in no uncertain terms that if you question the mission, you are against our troops. Well Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear, Canadians will not be lured into this false trap created by the Prime Minister’s borrowed sloganeering.
It is an injustice to the democracy we ask Canada’s young women and men in uniform to defend with their lives when this government confuses patriotism with jingoism. We will take no lessons from the government on supporting our women and men in uniform.
Let us all remember that last year it was the Conservatives who abstained rather than vote for a budget that invested 13.5 billion dollars in the Canadian Forces, a budget that invests 8.2 billion dollars more than the Conservative’s budget this spring. It was New Democrats, not Conservatives, who voted for that budget to ensure our troops would get the equipment and training they need. That’s how our party showed support for our troops.
And just this week, the Member for Sackville-Eastern Shore stood in his place and asked why after 14 years, this government continues to deny benefits to the widow of a soldier who died in uniform, and why this government continues to let lawyers fight to keep that family from receiving the support they deserve. That’s how the government shows support for our troops.
Mr. Speaker, if we are to ask this country to continue to fight a war, then we owe it to every single citizen of Canada to fully understand what we are committing to. Our troops deserve to know what we are asking of them, families deserve to know what their sons and daughters will be called upon to sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, surely if ever there is an aspect of our public discourse that deserves to be free of partisan posturing, it is or foreign policy, it is the decision about where we will send our troops, to pursue our values, and offer their lives in return. It is the duty of every member of this House to ask the tough questions, and it is the duty of the government to answer them.
There is immense debate in NATO countries like Britain and the Netherlands about future missions in Afghanistan, but in Canada, the government is trying to ram through a motion, with no room for amendment, no option for clarity. This government does not seek a debate but rather a rubber stamp from this house to commit the Canadian Forces to a new mission.
Mr. Speaker, it is not in the interest of Canadians to blindly allow our country to be locked into a new long term commitment in Afghanistan. New Democrats will stand against this motion because we believe that the mission defined by this government, is not in line with the values and principles held by Canadians. It is not the right role to pursue the objectives of Canada’s foreign policy.
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats asked for this debate and vote, and we welcome the opportunity to stand in our places and defend Canada’s place in the world. I ask the members of this house to join us. Let our country set the standard, let Canada lead not follow, let us forge our own path in the world, a path that builds upon our strengths and reflects globally the values and principles of the pursuit of peace that define us nationally. Thank you. Merci.
As I begin I wish to express on behalf of all New Democrats our profound sadness in learning today that Captain Nichola Goddard, based in Shilo, Manitoba, has been killed in service to our country, in Afghanistan. Our thoughts and prayers are with Captain Goddard’s family, friends, and indeed all members of the Canadian forces serving our country at home and abroad.
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats stand in opposition to this government’s plans to lock our country into a long-term war-fighting role in Afghanistan, a role that does not properly reflect the principles and ideals of the people of Canada.
For nearly five decades Canada has pursued peace in nations around the world…and brought hope to lives torn apart by war, from the Suez Canal to Cyprus, from the Sinai to the former Yugoslavia, Canada has built a reputation as a respected peacekeeping nation.
Canada is not a super power, but as a middle power we have long punched above our weight because of our contribution to the world as peacekeepers, with resolve to uphold the commitment to multilateralism through the United Nations. Our foreign policy must reflect the reality that we are a country renowned for our pursuit of peace, we are a nation of facilitators not occupiers, we are a people committed to the ideals of building bridges not burning them, we must not allow that legacy of good work to falter in the growing shadow of the Bush Administration’s Operation Enduring Freedom.
It is a convenient invention to claim that each new mission is merely an extension of the last, what the government is asking for is not an extension, but the commitment to a new mission that will engage our country until the end of this decade.
There are those in this house, on both side of the aisle, who will claim that if Canada re-directs its efforts, after four years in Afghanistan, all will be lost. There are those who are prepared to see Canada embroiled in Afghanistan to the end of this decade and beyond – they have claimed that anything less will amount to cutting and running.
But the plain truth of the matter is that Canada's military contribution has been substantial, given our capabilities. And Afghanistan is now the largest recipient of Canadian overseas development assistance. The NDP unequivocally supports the continuation of this funding. And we fully support an ongoing development and diplomatic role for Canada in Afghanistan, but the government has tied war-making and aid together in this motion and we oppose that.
New Democrats, indeed all Canadians value our country’s principled place in the world as a nation that seeks peace not conflict. There is a role well suited for Canada to play in Afghanistan, but it is not the role that the government has narrowly thrust upon the nation in this motion. We must also bear in mind that because of the unilateral decisions of this Prime Minister and the Liberals before him, Canada has been rendered incapable of further serious contributions in the world.
Mr. Speaker, despite hard won debates, and months of questioning in this House, this government, like the Liberal government before it, has refused to answer the questions we have asked: What is the effective command and control structure? What are the goals and objectives of this mission and how do they meet Canada's foreign policy objectives? What is the definition of success for this mission? And what is our exit strategy?
When the Conservatives were in opposition they asked these legitimate questions and received no answers from the Liberals. Just a few weeks ago, New Democrats asked these same questions and received no answers from the Conservatives. Canadians deserve the answers.
Mr. Speaker, as any soldier will tell you; ‘time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted’. But this government, like its Liberal predecessor, is not interested in due diligence. It is interested in merely satisfying the optics of consent.
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats will not write a blank cheque for this government, or any government, to drag Canada further into war, to drag our country further away from our place in the world as a nation of peace and peacekeeping.
It may be the prerogative of this Prime Minister and his government to blindfold the members of this house, to tie our hands behind our backs, and then proceed with the sham of so called debate, but Canadians will not be blinded, we will not be bullied into accepting the unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, time after time, I have stood in my place and asked this Prime Minister directly to fully inform Canadians about our role in Afghanistan. And time after time, this Prime Minister has stood in his place and refused to answer these fundamental questions. Instead this Prime Minister has proclaimed in no uncertain terms that if you question the mission, you are against our troops. Well Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear, Canadians will not be lured into this false trap created by the Prime Minister’s borrowed sloganeering.
It is an injustice to the democracy we ask Canada’s young women and men in uniform to defend with their lives when this government confuses patriotism with jingoism. We will take no lessons from the government on supporting our women and men in uniform.
Let us all remember that last year it was the Conservatives who abstained rather than vote for a budget that invested 13.5 billion dollars in the Canadian Forces, a budget that invests 8.2 billion dollars more than the Conservative’s budget this spring. It was New Democrats, not Conservatives, who voted for that budget to ensure our troops would get the equipment and training they need. That’s how our party showed support for our troops.
And just this week, the Member for Sackville-Eastern Shore stood in his place and asked why after 14 years, this government continues to deny benefits to the widow of a soldier who died in uniform, and why this government continues to let lawyers fight to keep that family from receiving the support they deserve. That’s how the government shows support for our troops.
Mr. Speaker, if we are to ask this country to continue to fight a war, then we owe it to every single citizen of Canada to fully understand what we are committing to. Our troops deserve to know what we are asking of them, families deserve to know what their sons and daughters will be called upon to sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, surely if ever there is an aspect of our public discourse that deserves to be free of partisan posturing, it is or foreign policy, it is the decision about where we will send our troops, to pursue our values, and offer their lives in return. It is the duty of every member of this House to ask the tough questions, and it is the duty of the government to answer them.
There is immense debate in NATO countries like Britain and the Netherlands about future missions in Afghanistan, but in Canada, the government is trying to ram through a motion, with no room for amendment, no option for clarity. This government does not seek a debate but rather a rubber stamp from this house to commit the Canadian Forces to a new mission.
Mr. Speaker, it is not in the interest of Canadians to blindly allow our country to be locked into a new long term commitment in Afghanistan. New Democrats will stand against this motion because we believe that the mission defined by this government, is not in line with the values and principles held by Canadians. It is not the right role to pursue the objectives of Canada’s foreign policy.
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats asked for this debate and vote, and we welcome the opportunity to stand in our places and defend Canada’s place in the world. I ask the members of this house to join us. Let our country set the standard, let Canada lead not follow, let us forge our own path in the world, a path that builds upon our strengths and reflects globally the values and principles of the pursuit of peace that define us nationally. Thank you. Merci.
# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 12:33 AM 
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]