Today Liberal leadership candidate Stephane Dion (Saint-Laurent-Cartierville) continues his hypocritical attacks on the Conservative government over Canada’s mission in Afghanistan, even going so far as to attack Liberals who support the mission: "It is very sad that some of us voted with them," said Dion. (Toronto Star, October 11, 2006). Yet despite Dion’s spin, Canadians remember that it was his Liberal government that sent Canadian troops to Afghanistan in the first place and that Dion was sitting in cabinet when the decision was made to undertake the current mission:
The facts:
- Dioin was a member of the Liberal cabinet under Jean Chretien when Canadian troops were first sent to Afghanistan. He was in the Liberal cabinet under Paul Martin when they decided to move Canadian troops from Kabul to Kandahar. How can he now criticize a mission that he endorsed as part of the Liberal cabinet?
- Dion himself keep insisting that he supports the mission: Quebec-based Stéphane Dion said his support for the mission would remain strong until there was a clear indication the troops were no longer required by the Afghan people. “There is no way that Canada will be an occupying force. I'm supporting the mission because I'm still convinced that most of the people of Afghanistan want our protection. The very moment I know that is not the case, I will not be there,” he said. (October 10, 2006)
- Mr. Dion said he still supports the mission because he believes the majority of Afghans want the protection of Canadian troops. (Globe and Mail, October 11, 2006)
- Despite the hypocrisy of Liberals like Dion, 24 Liberal MPs kept to their principles and supported the continuation of the Afghanistan mission, including interim Liberal leader Bill Graham and Liberal leadership contenders Michael Ignatieff and Scott Brison
- As Scott Brison said: "I don't think Liberals ought to be seeking to differentiate themselves on a mission that we actually started. We initiated the Afghan mission. We did it for the right reasons. Those reasons have not changed. (Globe and Mail, June 27, 2006)
- As Michael Ignatieff said: "Liberals need to remember this is a Liberal mission," he said. "We're in Afghanistan because of the leadership of the two previous Liberal governments ... We, as a party, cannot abandon what is right or what we believe for political convenience." (National Post, June 17, 2006)
