While watching CTV News on Thursday night, I got very angry. They reported a poll telling us that a significant majority of the Canadian citizenry is against the mission that our Canadian Forces have taken on in Afghanistan.
I am not angry with CTV for airing the story, or at Allan Gregg’s organization, The Strategic Counsel, for doing the poll. I am not angry with the Department of National Defence or the Canadian public that voted. But I am ticked right off with the de facto commander in chief of Canada.
The real commander in chief is the Queen, and by constitutional definition, the Governor General. But this isn’t really about her. Explaining to the Canadian people that our forces are involved in something very important in Afghanistan is not the job of Michaelle Jean. It is Stephen Harper’s job, and he is AWOL.
I don’t want to put words in Harper’s mouth. But I do want to ask you as a Canadian citizen whether you agree with me that our military’s fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida is a greater priority than our recent ice battle with the forces of Russia and Finland.
You might still be seething because Gretzky’s Good Ol’ Boys skated like they were carrying 200-pound military backpacks. It was demoralizing watching our multi-millionaires giving us a three-buck show. I don’t disagree that Turin was important to our national psyche. But Kandahar matters far more.
In case you missed the news, Canada is now large and in charge in the southern region of Afghanistan. We are not there for public relations. We must kill bad guys and break their will. We must break the back of terror.
It cannot be done unless the public is as much into this game as it was into the hump day shutout against the Russians. Please remember that hockey tournaments come and go. But when we are playing for freedom, it’s for keeps.
If you accept the fact that our forces in military uniform are involved in something that is vital, and you accept the idea that the majority of Canadians don’t support this mission, do you think it is necessary for the prime minister to emerge from hiding and tell us why we are committing blood and treasure in the sand and rock of Afghanistan?
Now it’s true that Stephen Harper has been thinking about going to Afghanistan next week. That would be a great photo-op for him and perhaps a morale muffin for the troops. But it will take more than a photo-op of the young prime minister saluting our forces in the field to get Canadians on board.
As you read this, many of our finest people are putting their lives on the line in a very dangerous mission. Some have already lost lives. Several have lost limbs. For us as a people not to lose heart means we have to reconnect with the War on Terror. This phrase itself doesn’t meet with Canadian hospitality in every corner of our country. The words War on Terror have been devalued because the president of the United States uses them so promiscuously.
Stephen Harper’s defence minister, Gordon O’Connor, read his 3×5 flash card correctly this week.
“On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacked North America and Canadians were killed. Let me be clear: when terrorists attack Canadians, Canada will defend itself. That’s why we’re in Afghanistan.”
There is nothing wrong with that statement. But it will require much more than that to make Canadians believers. And the language will have to come from the prime minister himself.
Mr. Harper, please come out of your bunker.
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