We Want A Free Vote

The Conservatives ran on a campaign of Free Votes and Accountability in Parliment. But suddenly when it comes to the sureptitious and arbitrary PMO decision to send our troops to Afghanistan this is no longer their policy.

When it comes to BMD, which was not in their platform, they will hold a free vote just like they intend to have a free vote on an issue already decided by Parliment, Same Sex Marriage.

The Harpocrites are at it again. The Supremacy of Parliment is only a policy when it is convienent as a sop to their right wing base. And despite knowing they will probably lose both these free votes they intend on going ahead with them.

However in the case of Canadian Troops in Afghanistan they would be hard pressed to find popular Canadian support and so dread bringing this up in the house to a vote. For if it passed it would be in spite of Canadians opposition to seeing our troops sent to fight the Americans surrogate war. And it would create a crisis for the Minority government. They dare not call for a free vote. Hypocrites.

It shows that the longstanding NDP policy of getting Canada out of NATO, which is who is currently running the show in Afghanistan as the Americans withdraw, makes more sense now than ever. To bad Jack Layton abandoned it for the politics of pragmatism.

Minister won't support vote on troops in Afghanistan

O'Connor will try to persuade Canadians that soldiers will increase Afghan stability

A poll showing most Canadians oppose sending troops to Afghanistan reflects Ottawa's failure to explain why Canada has a military mission in the war-torn country, Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor said on Friday. Canada contributed 2,000 troops to a NATO-run force in Kabul in the wake of the Sept. 11 suicide attacks. By next month it will have 2,300 troops in the volatile southern city of Kandahar as part of another NATO mission. Canadian troops in Kandahar are already coming under frequent attack. Canada is due to take over command of multinational forces in the region next month. The decision to boost troop levels and take part in the new NATO mission was taken by the previous Liberal government with little publicity or discussion in Parliament The Liberals lost to the Conservatives in the Jan. 23 election. A Strategic Counsel poll in Friday's Globe and Mail showed 62 percent of Canadians were against sending troops to Afghanistan while 73 percent wanted Parliament to have an opportunity to vote on deployments.

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