Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Rick Mercer on the Harper Prorogue and Afghanistan

It is ironic that while our parliament has been suspended we are a nation at war. On New Year's Eve we greeted the news that five Canadians were killed in a single day with sadness but not surprise. We are at war because ostensibly we are helping bring democracy to Afghanistan. How the mission is progressing is open for debate but this much is certain – at present there is a parliament in Afghanistan that it is very much open for business. Canada has no such institution.

In Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's government faces fierce opposition at every turn; many of his cabinet choices have been rejected in a secret ballot by the more than 200 parliamentarians that sit in the legislature. Simply closing parliament down and operating without their consent is not an option for Hamid Karzai; to do so would be blatantly undemocratic or at the very least downright Canadian...
(via Alison at Golloping Beaver)

1 comment:

ridenrain said...

Where was Mr Mercer, the CBC or parliament when Chretien put us in Afghanistan or when Martin moved us into the fight?
It's simply playing politics.