Prime Minister Stephen Harper leaped to the defence of Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor during question period in the House of Commons on Wednesday.(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
Posted on 03/21/2007 7:13:56 PM PDT by M203M4
Wednesday, March 21, 2007 | 7:12 PM ET
Prime Minister Stephen Harper went into attack mode in the House of Commons on Wednesday, accusing the Liberals of caring more about Taliban prisoners than Canadian troops.
(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
The attack came during Question Period, as the Liberals called for the resignation of Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor over the erroneous information he provided to the government two weeks ago.
O'Connor incorrectly told the House of Commons that the Red Cross would keep Canada informed about the condition of prisoners handed over to Afghan officials by Canadian soldiers. On Monday, O'Connor apologized, admitting that the Red Cross has no obligation to report to Canada and must only keep Afghanistan informed.
On Wednesday, a visibly flustered and red-faced O'Connor repeated his apology. Moments later, Harper swooped in to his defence.
"I can understand the passion that the leader of the Opposition and members of his party feel for the Taliban prisoners," Harper said. "I just wish occasionally they would show the same passion for Canadian soldiers."
His comments were quickly followed by boos and jeers from Liberals in the House. Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said he was shocked by Harper's suggestion and demanded an apology.
Harper continued with his barrage.
"I would like to see more support in the House of Commons from all sides for Canadian men and women in uniform," he said. "I think Canadians expect that from parliamentarians in every party. They have not been getting it, and they deserve it.
Opposition Leader Stéphane Dion demanded an apology.
(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
Dion, speaking to reporters outside the House of Commons, said Harper is trivializing the situation of the detainees.
Reports allege that on 18 occasions, Canadian soldiers handed over prisoners to Afghan officials knowing they would be abused. The Canadian Military Police complaints commission is investigating this allegation after complaints from Amnesty International Canada and the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association.
There are also four investigations into the alleged beating of three suspected Taliban fighters who were picked up by Canadians near Kandahar on April 7, 2006.
According to prisoner-transfer logs, the prisoners suffered lacerations and contusions. An Ottawa law professor, Amir Attaran, brought the reports to the media and said it appears the prisoners were injured while in Canadian custody.
The military denies the allegation, but is investigating.
With files from the Canadian Press
Hey, you can demand in one hand and crap in the other, and see which one fills up first!
That's gonna leave a mark. BTT.
I can't imagine Bush saying the same thing.
Good for Harper. It's about time somebody said it. Now, can he come to the US and say the same thing to our own Leftist crapweasels?
I love this Guy!
Will they never learn? The more one apologizes and appears shaken, the more the sharks circle, smelling blood. Just a small error which is of not that great an import. Just tell them to get lost. Steven Harper hit 'em where it hurts- the real truth. Copious fake tears and pretend outrage. The average Canadian Liberal voter, does not fully realize the inner thoughts of their fat cat opposition.
Peter Libra's definition of a liberal.
Some one, who, if they hated the captain and first officer of the Titanic, they would have smashed the telegraph instruments to prevent an SOS.
A little lame, I concede. Still one can try. LOL
The common enemy was the rise of radical socialism in its various forms. In this context, Burkean conservatives and classical liberals discovered a commitment to a core of common ideas. Both groups favoured private property, small government and reliance on civil society rather than the state to resolve social dilemmas and to create social process. Domestically, both groups resisted those who stood for public ownership, government interventionism, egalitarian redistribution and state sponsorship of secular humanist values. Internationally, they stood unequivocally against external enemies - fascism, communism and socialist totalitarianism in all its forms.
...
This is particularly striking given the nature of the enemy here, the bin Ladens and the Husseins, individuals who embody in the extreme everything the Left purports to oppose - fundamentalism, fascistic nationalism, misogyny, bigotry.
...
Conservatives need to reassess our understanding of the modern Left. It has moved beyond old socialistic morality or even moral relativism to something much darker. It has become a moral nihilism - the rejection of any tradition or convention of morality, a post-Marxism with deep resentments, even hatreds of the norms of free and democratic western civilization.
Ping!
if you're not taking FLAK, you're not over the target... GO HARPER!!!
We have spent much time in British Columbia, and even there, there is some kind of virus that has infected too many.
May God Bless Harper.
Thanks for the link!
We Canuckleheads are extremely fortunate to have a statesman of the stature of Mr. Harper to lead our country. A few years ago, I would not have dreamed it possible.
Liberals are the same the World over. };-)
"Some one, who, if they hated the captain and first officer of the Titanic, they would have smashed the telegraph instruments to prevent an SOS."
Someone who took the side of the iceberg.
I have a new found respect for Canada and their leader. Not that I didn't have it before, I just didn't know. Their troops have been engaged in some incredible fighting in the southern provinces of Afghanistan against the Taliban, which very few people are aware of. There are huge amount of Canadians that understand the stakes and are truly our brother in the war against the Taliban.
Harper, I love you man.
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