Harper accuses NDP of not being behind troops
by Romeo St. Martin

[PoliticsWatch Updated 4:45 p.m. April 10, 2006]

OTTAWA  — Hours before a special debate Monday evening in the House of Commons on Canada's role in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Stephen Harper accused the NDP of not being supportive of Canada's troops abroad. 

Harper made the comments in question period during an exchange with NDP Leader Jack Layton, who called for a vote on future deployments of troops in Afghanistan. 

Canada's current commitment to Afghanistan comes to an end in February of 2007. But military officials have suggested Canada could stay in the country for as long as 10 years. 

Layton says he wants a vote on the extending the mission beyond February. 

But Harper told Layton not to expect a vote because Canadian troops have already been deployed to Afghanistan and will be there "in some form in the next few years."

"The Canadian government supports our troops," he said. "I know the governing party does. I believe the official opposition, other members of this House and Canadians do, and I would urge the NDP to get behind our troops in Afghanistan."

After question period, Layton blasted Harper for suggesting the NDP was not behind the troops.

"It's very unfortunate that Mr. Harper tried to portray foreign policy discussion as either you're a cheerleader or you're turning your back on our troops.

"That's not the right way to think about foreign policy. These are very serious matters."

Layton said he called for the debate to answer a number of key questions on the minds of Canadians as Canada's role in Afghanistan has changed. 

"It's a very different kind of initiative that's seeking out in a very direct way, in a very dangerous way and in a war-like context terrorists. That's why I think we've got to have a very clear understanding of what our role is going to be. 

"We have not accepted the concept that Canada should simply join with George Bush and the American military in rooting out terrorists around the world. That is not a decision that we've ever made or supported."

Layton and his defence and peace advocacy critic, Dawn Black, both said Monday that the Liberal government misled the House during a similar debate in November when it suggested Canada would be taking part in a NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. 

According to the Defence department, Canada is playing a role in the transition from the U.S.'s Operation Enduring Freedom to NATO leadership. 

The full transition in the southern provinces of Afghanistan to NATO is scheduled to be complete this summer. 

"We have some questions around the nature of the mission now in terms of a combat operation and how do you on the one hand have a force engaged in combat operations and on the other hand talk about building peace and diplomacy," Black told PoliticsWatch in an interview on Monday. 

In November, just days before the election, the Liberals held a similar take-note debate on the Afghanistan mission. 

That debate lasted over five hours and ended at 12:05 a.m.

During that debate, then Liberal defence minister Bill Graham explained that nature of the role of the mission in southern Afghanistan would not be the traditional role played by Canadians. 

Graham put it in the category of situations where "more robust rules of engagement" are required to bring stability to an area. 

"We have to be prepared to fight in those circumstances and be properly prepared for that," he said.

Monday's take-note debate will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET and will last a maximum of five hours.

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