statism watch

CBC News
September 14, 2008

Ending Canada’s combat role in Afghanistan by 2011 is consistent with the will of Parliament and not a signal that the country is going to “cut and run” from the mission, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Sunday.

Speaking to CBC News, MacKay said the Afghan pullout, announced last week by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, was in line with a resolution passed by the House of Commons last May, extending the mission past its original end date of 2009.

During a visit to Afghanistan just after he became prime minister in 2006, Harper told soldiers in Kandahar that people who didn’t support the combat mission wanted Canada to “cut and run” from its obligations to the Afghan people.

“Cutting and running is not your way,” he told the troops. “It’s not my way and it’s not the Canadian way.”

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CBC News
September 14, 2008

Protesters gathered outside Edmonton City Hall on Saturday, urging people to vote for parties supporting asylum for American soldiers who come to Canada to avoid fighting in the Iraq war.

About 20 rallies from British Columbia to Newfoundland were held to support American soldiers seeking refugee status as conscientious objectors against the war in Iraq.

Protesters said the Conservatives are the only party that supports sending war resisters back to the U.S., while the opposition parties all supported a non-binding motion passed in the House of Commons in June to allow American war resisters to stay.

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