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Leadership in Afghanistan
February 28, 2008
 When Canadian soldiers, aid workers and diplomats work tirelessly to bring hope to the Afghan people, they are also re-establishing Canada’s role as a world leader. As Canadians discuss the future of the Afghanistan Mission, more and more of our allies are paying attention. If Parliament passes the new consensus motion on Canada’s future role in Afghanistan, it will send a clear signal to our NATO allies: though Canada will continue to play a leadership role in Kandahar, we will not play that role indefinitely nor will we play that role alone. The Prime Minister has been clear that Canadian troops must be reinforced by 1000 more soldiers from our allies if our military mission in Afghanistan is to continue past 2009. The Conservative Government has already worked hard to build a consensus Canadian position on the Afghanistan Mission with the Official Opposition. Now the Prime Minister is insisting that NATO builds a new Afghanistan consensus as well. A safe, peaceful and prosperous future for Afghanistan is worth fighting for, but it requires that all of Canada's NATO allies do their fair share. The world has a stake in what happens in Afghanistan, and as Canadians continue to bravely lead on the front lines, we expect that more of our allies will step forward and do their part to make the mission a success, and build a safer, more secure future for us all. |
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