-- Download Harper: War Yes! Veterans No! as PDF --
From the building rhetoric of Canadian troops staying in Afghanistan [but leaving Kandahar, according to the specific words of our commitment to “leave”], to news that Harper will not bother to attend Canadian Remembrance Day ceremonies because he’s away at a G20 meeting, it is clear that while Harper loves war, he has little respect for the people who fight in his wars, as the government undermines the financial stability of our veterans:
All Canadians owe a great debt to our veterans, one that cannot truly be fully repaid. We can, however, ensure veterans who have been injured or disabled while defending this country have a financially secure future when they return to civilian life.
I am ashamed to be part of a country whose leader chooses to delegate attendance at Remembrance Day ceremonies because the global neoliberal agenda needs tweaking. Clearly, though, I am not surprised at his priorities. They are unacceptable on so many levels.
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Stephen Elliott-Buckley
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for a good review of the current state of controversies surrounding the Canadian forces, check out this surprisingly good piece in the National Post:
“Before asking more men and women to risk their lives overseas, the government should ensure it treats returning veterans with the respect they deserve – on this, and all Remembrance Days.”
Read more: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/11/08/tasha-kheiriddin-conservatives-need-to-deliver-respect-for-veterans/#ixzz14oSfFCyY
I have a couple of questions. Which government sent our troops to Afghanistan on request from USA? What did Obama tell Harper to make him change his mind (right after meeting him)about our troops leaving that country? Making false statements about your political enemies and demonizing them is not going to help certain side of our political spectrum in the next election. Canadians are smarter than.
1. the liberals. i sure wish they didn’t do that.
2. i don’t know what obama said to harper. is that out there somewhere? i know nato begged canada to stay, but that’s the nato way. i don’t agree with that either.
3. what is false? that harper is in korea today? that the government is not providing decent financial, counseling and medical care for soldiers and veterans?
Kings do not consulate the common people
so true.
This was 100% predictable; actually, it was 100% knowable. This is just what governments do when left to their own devices. And God knows Canadians have repeatedly proven themselves incapable of acting prudently, so why would their government?
so now the hard part is to rebut your valid assertion that canadians have demonstrated we can’t act prudently.
so let’s think about times when we have been the prudent voice and look to the context and personalities that have facilitated that.
we need to bring those political environments back.
Agreed!
But “there is an imperialism of culture which is harder to overcome than the imperialism of power” to cite Bertrand Russell. Our Canadian culture is what – to make waves or to accommodate others and make peace?
When sanity is scorned by even those who consider themselves somewhat progressive because they prefer Gradualism lest we impose a hardship on our children — while ignoring the complete HELL we leave the grandkids by not acting now as we should — I don’t believe we will ever do what is right, ethical and moral in my lifetime unless there is no other option of avoidance available.
But that does not mean the few who do see things differently should not speak up and act out. In fact, it is their social duty in my opinion. One day the wrong direction we are headed on as a civilization will become regarded as common knowledge.