MPs want troops pulled out of Afghanistan

By Dan Hilborn
Published May 20, 2006


Canada would be better served by having its military take part in a peacekeeping mission in the Darfur region of Sudan rather than the ongoing military action in Afghanistan, local NDP MP Dawn Black told the House of Commons Wednesday.

"Military force is a blunt, dangerous and expensive weapon. It has profound, often negative, consequence for the lives of individual human beings," said the New Westminster-Coquitlam MP and NDP defence critic, during a special debate in the house.

The NDP "unequivocally supports" Canada's humanitarian effort in Afghanistan, which has helped to open 2,000 new schools in the country, she said.

However, the military campaign that began four years ago under the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom has been a failure.

"The NDP shares the concerns of many of Canada's allies that the counter-insurgency approach cannot succeed, and, if it cannot succeed, why are we there?" she asked.

Her comments came as the House of Commons voted 149 to 145 in favour of extending the mission in Afghanistan by another two years, until 2009. All NDP and Bloc Quebecois members voted against the motion by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, while several high-profile Liberals, including defence critic Bill Graham and leadership hopefuls Scott Brison and Michael Ignatieff, voted with the Conservatives.

Black said Canadian soldiers may have to transfer detainees to Afghani or American custody, where they may not receive protection under international law. She also expressed concerns that Canadian soldiers are relying on anti-personnel mines that were placed by other foreign services, in violation of the spirit and intent of the Ottawa landmine convention.

Black said she supports the continued presence of "a sizable Canadian reconstruction presence in Afghanistan" but Cana-dian soldiers would be better served if they joined the recently proposed United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Bill Siksay, the NDP MP for Burnaby-Douglas, also called for the removal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan.

"Many Canadians know that this is not our traditional role of peacekeeping," Siksay said in the House. "This is not how Canadians do peacekeeping. We are out there to separate combatants, not be a combatant, which we are now. ... This is not the Canadian way."

Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian also voted against the extension of the mission but did not speak during the debate.