Stephen Harper reaches a new low

[Tingkai]

After using the Canadian military as a political prop in a feeble effort to make himself look tough, Prime Minister Harper is going out of his way to hide the price paid by our troops in Afghanistan.

It's a disgustingly shameful act by the Conservatives, typical of the armchair generals who think nothing of throwing our troops into battle, and then refuse to face the consequences of their actions.

The four Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan last weekend will not get full honors when they return to Canada. Harper and the Conservatives have decreed that the flag on the Parliament building will not be lowered in respect.

The Conservatives refused to allow a moment of silence in Parliament on Monday for our dead troops, instead they had a moment of silence to remember the Armenian genocide.

In another move to hide the deaths, the Cons have banned the media from covering the return of the dead soldiers to Trenton. That means no coverage of the fact that Harper will not be there to honor the men.

Our troops deserve better.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1145915412661&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home

[DaShi]

Pity post.

[Tingkai]

At least in Alberta, they still have some decency.

Alberta will lower flags on all provincial buildings on the days of funerals for soldiers born or based in Alberta.

Premier Ralph Klein said his caucus will honour Alberta soldiers killed in the line of duty, even if the federal government will not.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2006/04/25/1549239-sun.html

[Jaguar]

Pity post.

[JimmyCracksCorn]

When you send soldiers into a warzone, you can expect some to die. Are we going to have a moment of silence for every single one of them? Let the provinces do it if they want to and have the Fed do a big one at the end.

And Stephen Harper didn't send them there.

[Flubber]

While I understand this looks disrespectful (and for the life of me I can't understand why a politician would do this) my understanding was that lowering the flag each time was a relatively new thing. Obviously during Korea or WW2, your flag would rarely be at full mast if you lowered it for every casualty

perhaps that is part of what is driving this . . . Canada may be suffering casualties frequently and while each is a tragedy, it startss to lose any signifigance if the flag is perpetually at half-mast

[Flubber]

Well the more I think about this the more I think that it is correct to not lower the flag on the Peace tower each time. AS a national symbol there, our flag should wave proudly and defiantly proclaiming our intent to stand "strong and free".

It is entirely appropriate that the home bases or regions or employers lower their flags but on Parliament Hill let it stand tall!! Is Canada perpetually in mourning over our military deployment or are we proud of our men and women overseas?

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Flubber
my understanding was that lowering the flag each time was a relatively new thing.

Yup, and it was a Conservative who helped start the trend by pushing a motion to have the flag lowered for the Navy LT who died in the sub accident. But of course that gave the Conservatives a chance to whine about the Liberal decision to buy the subs.

So the Cons are happy to have the flag lowered to score political points against the Liberals, but won't lower the flag honoring Canadians who died in combat.

Now, if the Cons want the policy, then they should have the brains and the decency to do it at the right time, not right after we lose four guys.

The Cons are dissing Canadians who have paid the price for their country. It's disgraceful. It's shameful. It's pathetic.

Harper should resign.

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Tingkai, if we start this trend now, the war is going to look very bad considering the increase in Canadian casualities recently.

There is no moment of silence for the same reason the US Admin avoids letting pictures of body bags coming home from Iraq get into the news. The reason is because it looks terrible and decreases support for the war... which is already on a decline here in Canada.

[Richelieu]

Playing politics with soldiers death:

And i'm not talking about Harper.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Tingkai


Yup, and it was a Conservative who helped start the trend by pushing a motion to have the flag lowered for the Navy LT who died in the sub accident. But of course that gave the Conservatives a chance to whine about the Liberal decision to buy the subs.
.

I don't care who had the first idea , it was a bad one. In WW2 was our flag perpetually at half-mast? NO!! Was this disrespect to those brave soldiers? In local ceremonies the fallen will be honored but as a nation, we should stand proud and tall against those that would attack us.

UNlike you, I don't care about the political parties involved and just judge on the issues

[Ninot]

Yeah, Harper isn't at fault here, people who have a problem with him are.

His policies might suck, but it's cheap to use the death of soldier's to call for his resignation.

[Flubber]

I find it ironic that someone would even think to call for Harper's resignation based on a military issue. I will bet that Harper does more for and has more respect from, the military than any Liberal government in the past 20 years.

he has lots of policies that I am not fond of, but he has been consistenty in his support for the military. Even if a member of his caucus first pulled this flag trick for political gain, I believe he is right to say that is the wrong policy and to correct it

[joncha]

The flag thing is stupid and partisan, and wouldn't even be an issue if they hadn't made such a big deal about it in opposition.

Barring the media from covering the return of dead soldiers is something else altogether. If they think the sacrifice is worth it, they shouldn't be trying to hide the emotional impact of it from the country.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Ninot
Yeah, Harper isn't at fault here, people who have a problem with him are.

His policies might suck, but it's cheap to use the death of soldier's to call for his resignation.