Canada says NO to the USA!

[Mr.Canada]

Well many here should be happy because they have often said that Canada will always do whatever the US wants us to do. Now we are clearly doing our own thing. The USA wants us to saty in Afganistan, Canada says NO, PArlaiment supported a motion to leave by 2011 and we're sticking to that. USA wants us to include abortion as part of a "Maternal Health" package, Canada again says NO! Our house has voted against this and we're sticking by it.

So I don't think that the left wing of this country can accuse Canada of following the USA's lead any longer. They should be happy.

[Born Free]

.....do you think that Canada should have said yes?

[ToadBrother]

.....do you think that Canada should have said yes?

I certainly think they should have said yes. I suspect Harper does to, but Parliament backed him into a corner on it. I'm assuming that he explained to Clinton precisely who was responsible for the pullout.

[Mr.Canada]

.....do you think that Canada should have said yes?

Nope. We're our own country and we'll be making our own policy decisions. Sometimes they'll coincide with what the US or UK do and sometimes they won't. That's life.

[Oleg Bach]

Harper should have said NO to Dick Cheney when it came to pacifying the American bankers and military contractors as far as Afghanistan is concerned...Just think of it--a few hundred soldiers that would be alive today..as if dying for the cause did anything? I don't see sucking American ass ass useful or productive.. I would rather have our men and woman alive than dead and have the AMERICANS pissed off.

[Mr.Canada]

It was the Liberal Party and Jean Chretien who sent us to Afghanistan not The Conservatives.

[Wilber]

Actually Parliament approved a withdrawal of our troops from Kandahar in 2011 not from Afghanistan. That is a promise Harper made on his own.

[Guest American Woman]

USA wants us to include abortion as part of a "Maternal Health" package, Canada again says NO! Our house has voted against this and we're sticking by it.

In Absurd Move, Canada Drops Family Planning from Maternal Health Plan

It's not just abortion, it's "family planning."

... the Canadian government has decided to exclude support for contraceptive programs, supplies, and information from its initiative to save the lives and improve the health of mothers in poor countries.

That's something to be proud of.*

*sarcasm

[Smallc]

AFAIK, contraception will not be excluded now.

Anyway, rumour has it, we're leaving to go somewhere else:

http://www.vancouversun.com/After+Afghanistan+Canadian+troops+provide+peacekeeping+Congo/2737731/story.html

Rumour also has it, the contribution could be large.

[punked]

Lets get out. Good move if we do bring our troops home. I will wait and see if it happens.

[ToadBrother]

AFAIK, contraception will not be excluded now.

Anyway, rumour has it, we're leaving to go somewhere else:

http://www.vancouversun.com/After+Afghanistan+Canadian+troops+provide+peacekeeping+Congo/2737731/story.html

Rumour also has it, the contribution could be large.

Except this looks like another weak-kneed peacekeeping mission.

[Guest American Woman]

AFAIK, contraception will not be excluded now.

Source for that, please?

[Smallc]

Source for that, please?

Bev Oda said so I believe...Harper also:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/contraception-a-part-of-maternal-health-plan-harper-says/article1505160/

On a side note, I think that Clinton did far too much meddling in her time here. She was less than diplomatic.

Edited March 30, 2010 by Smallc

[Guest American Woman]

Bev Oda said so I believe.

I think you're wrong. I can't find anything to back up that claim. The closest I can find is Harper saying he won't rule contraceptives out. That's not saying he's ok with it.

On a side note, I think that Clinton did far too much meddling in her time here. She was less than diplomatic.

Can you elaborate on that?

[Smallc]

Except this looks like another weak-kneed peacekeeping mission.

I don't know about that. I don't know if it's that article or the other one, but they describe it as peace making that we want to do.

[Smallc]

oops, screwed up.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Smallc

[Topaz]

It was the Liberal Party and Jean Chretien who sent us to Afghanistan not The Conservatives.

If u remember, that did prove to be the right thing to do, the Taliban did leave Afghanistan then. Martin was going to pull them out but an election came and Harper took over the PMO and then he could have pulled them out but decided they should stay until 2011 and until July 2011 comes and goes and our guys and gals are home,you can trust Harper on his word.

[punked]

If u remember, that did prove to be the right thing to do, the Taliban did leave Afghanistan then. Martin was going to pull them out but an election came and Harper took over the PMO and then he could have pulled them out but decided they should stay until 2011 and until July 2011 comes and goes and our guys and gals are home,you can trust Harper on his word.

Don't buy it for a second.

[Moonlight Graham]

Isn't the U.S. starting to pull out of Afghanistan in 2011?

[nicky10013]

If u remember, that did prove to be the right thing to do, the Taliban did leave Afghanistan then. Martin was going to pull them out but an election came and Harper took over the PMO and then he could have pulled them out but decided they should stay until 2011 and until July 2011 comes and goes and our guys and gals are home,you can trust Harper on his word.

Not only was the CPC in favour of Afghanistan, they wanted to take us to Iraq as well. Canadian troops were going to Afghanistan either way. At least we didn't get bogged down in the quagmire that is Baghdad.

[bush_cheney2004]

Not only was the CPC in favour of Afghanistan, they wanted to take us to Iraq as well. Canadian troops were going to Afghanistan either way. At least we didn't get bogged down in the quagmire that is Baghdad.

No way...no how. Canadain Forces would have been a non factor for Iraq....PM Chretien was banking on that.

[August1991]

Well many here should be happy because they have often said that Canada will always do whatever the US wants us to do. Now we are clearly doing our own thing. The USA wants us to saty in Afganistan, Canada says NO, PArlaiment supported a motion to leave by 2011 and we're sticking to that.

Nothing new here. Canada's position has been fixed for several years.

If anything, our "dispute" is not with the US but rather with other NATO members. (Surely even this US administration understands this distinction.)

If you look at a map, Canada's military has taken on the heavy duty of supporting the broad underbelly of the Afghan regime (along with now British forces in Helmand). Kandahar is not an easy place. I am impressed that with so few soldiers, Canada has held this large, exposed area. If casualties are a measure, our soldiers have taken more than their share.

We in the West are in this together. Compared to previous fights to defend and promote Western Civilization, this skirmish is still small. It is time for other NATO members (their soldiers and families) to assume their share of the load.

[Smallc]

CTV noticed the talk of Clinton too.

[blueblood]

Not only was the CPC in favour of Afghanistan, they wanted to take us to Iraq as well. Canadian troops were going to Afghanistan either way. At least we didn't get bogged down in the quagmire that is Baghdad.

I don't know if Baghdad is a quagmire anymore...

[Shwa]

I'm assuming that he explained to Clinton precisely who was responsible for the pullout.

Harper and Clinton were talking birth control??