Votes at Risk in Rural Canada

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
There are about 1 million Canadians who use a post office box as their primary mailing address. I happen to be one of them. Under the changes to the Elections Act passed last summer I have to either show up at the poll with photo ID or two pieces of identification, one of which shows my civic address. A post office box is not acceptable. -- read more

Afghan Poll Shows Foreign Troops Welcome

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
A public opinion poll was carried out in Afghanistan in September. Now, that is a pretty run of the mill matter in Canada, we get inundated with phone calls for polls for one thing or another on a regular basis. In Afghanistan there are no large scale databases to randomly survey the population and often no phones or lines to call people on if there was. Then there are the cultural issues, like women need to talk to women and men to men. One tribe wont always respond to another and so on. -- read more

The Truth About Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
A column in today’s Edmonton Sun is one of the best ones I’ve read about Afghanistan and Canada’s role there. The writer, Michael den Tandt, explores the non-combat roles that the combat forces enable in Afghanistan as well as why the Canadian public is not more aware of those roles. -- read more

Chretien Attacks Martin in His Book

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien has come out swinging at former Prime Minister Paul Martin in his newly released book, "My Years as Prime Minister". The two men at one time appeared to form a powerful pair in Ottawa during Chretien’s time in office. Martin as finance minister won international respect for making hard decisions which brought Canada’s soaring deficit under control and in recent years has produced surpluses. Chretien as Prime Minister backed his finance minister’s moves. -- read more

Harper Appoints Afghanistan Panel

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
In a shrewd, albeit calculating, move on Friday Harper appointed a five person panel to explore our future role in Afghanistan at the end of the current February 2009 mission mandate. The panel is to be headed up by John Manley, former deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs during Jean Chretien’s time in office. While not officially in political life anymore, Manley remains a staunch Liberal. -- read more

Ontario Elects Liberal Majority - MMP Defeated

Posted at: Out of the Shadows
Ontario has voted and returned the Liberals led by McGuinty to the Ontario Legislature. John Tory of the Conservatives went down to defeat not only from the position of Premier of the Province but failed to win in his own riding. One of the lowest voter turnout in Ontario’s history voted down the MMP referendum which I’m happy to see go down. I just wish that more Ontarians had felt the need to add their voice to the referendum. -- read more

Aid & Combat Interconnected in Afghanistan

Posted at: Out of the Shadows
In Afghanistan’s volatile south, where Canadian troops operate, aid and reconstruction can’t take place without the area being secured by troops who need to flush out and engage the Taliban. Ongoing security has to be provided before any aid groups can operate in these areas. The Taliban will infiltrate back to an area thought to be cleared and undertake a campaign of threats and harassment of aid workers, especially Afghani’s. -- read more

Afghanistan Debate

Posted at: Out of the Shadows
I’m going to say right at the outset here. I support our troops and their mission in Afghanistan. I grow weary and increasingly disgusted by the politicalization of the mission. Politicians hunting for votes and talking points to oppose another party rather than truly hunting down what is the right thing to do. -- read more

We Will Remember Him

They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them

In memory of our fallen Canadian:

Cpl. Nathan Hornburg -- Afghanistan September 25, 2007

Always Caring -- Always Canadian -- Never Defeated

Support Our Troops -- Wear Red on Fridays