posted on April 26, 2006 07:39:10 AM
Here is a topic so are canadian friends to the north can have something to say.
TORONTO - Canada's new Conservative government banned the media from showing live images of the flag-draped coffins of four Canadian soldiers when their bodies were returned Tuesday from
Afghanistan, angering political opponents and some families.
The government also has stopped lowering flags to half-staff outside Parliament each time a Canadian soldier is killed, prompting Liberals to accuse Prime Minister Stephen Harper of trying to play down the growing human cost of the Canadian mission in Afghanistan.
Fifteen Canadians have been killed, including Cpl. Matthew Dinning, Bombardier Myles Mansell, Cpl. Randy Payne and Lt. William Turner, who were slain in a roadside bomb blast Saturday in southern Afghanistan in the deadliest attack against Canadian forces since they deployed to Afghanistan in 2002.
Canadian military officials blamed remnants of the toppled Taliban government for the bombing.
Their remains arrived Tuesday before sundown at a base in Trenton, Ontario.
The media learned Monday that they would be barred from the evening ceremony, a decision that mirrors Bush administration policy blocking media coverage of the coffins of slain service members arriving in the United States.
Like the
Pentagon, Canadian Defense Minister Gordon O'Connor cited privacy concerns as a reason for the media ban.
"When the bodies return to Trenton, where the families receive the bodies for the first time and they come face to face with the reality that their loved ones are dead, this is for their private grief," O'Connor told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. on Tuesday. The four bodies are the first returned to Canada since the Conservative government took office.
O'Connor noted that media were allowed to cover the solemn send-off ceremony just before a Hercules transport plane left Kandahar with the bodies.
He also said the Conservatives — who toppled the Liberals from nearly 13 years in power in January — were returning to an 80-year-old tradition of honoring fallen soldiers by only lowering the flag on Parliament Hill once a year, on Nov. 11, Remembrance Day.
Harper dismissed accusations that he is using the power of his office to conceal Canada's mounting military casualties from the public spotlight.
"It is not about photo-ops and media coverage," Harper told the House of Commons, which engaged in a raucous debate. "It is about what is in the best interests of the families."
The families of at least two soldiers said they were disturbed by the media blackout and the lack of lowered flags.
Dinning's uncle told the CBC the family believes the government is trying to cover up the growing casualties in Afghanistan and was disturbed they were not informed of the decision to cancel what had been a public ceremony for the returning war dead.
The CBC has been broadcasting live the repatriation ceremonies for each soldier killed in Afghanistan.
Richard Leger, father of Sgt. Marc Leger, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2002, told the CBC on Tuesday that the nationally televised return of his son's coffin helped his family to heal.
Sgt. Leger was one of four Canadian soldiers killed by a U.S. pilot who mistook their live-ammunition exercise for a hostile attack. The soldiers were the first Canadians to die in combat since the Korean War.
"I think Canadians need to see this, every Canadian. It says we care about these soldiers," Leger said, as tears rolled down his face.
Ujjal Dosanjh, a Liberal member of Parliament and his party's defense critic, called the media ban "absolutely un-Canadian."
"Dare I say president Harper is following in the footsteps of
President Bush?" Dosanjh said.
He said the decision not to lower the flag on Parliament Hill was disrespectful.
"If I dropped dead tomorrow walking the street, that flag would be lowered," said Dosanjh. "I think we owe the soldiers that we've sent into harm's way that kind of respect."
Canadians — the majority of whom applauded their government for declining to join the U.S.-led invasion of
Iraq — are increasingly concerned about the human toll in Afghanistan.
The 2,300-strong Canadian force took over control of Kandahar from U.S. troops in February.
Isn't funny things they said about us down here we can now say about them up there.
Liking Harper more and more, great choice Canada to kick Martin out.
posted on April 26, 2006 11:09:18 AM
What did you expect, Washington? Harper is a Bush clone so of course he would choose what's most pathetic. Honouring dead soldiers by lowering the flag on Parlaiment Hill would be too compassionate. Best to sweep stuff under the rug like Bush does.
posted on April 26, 2006 12:09:52 PM
Parliament's flag not lowered
Apr. 23, 2006. 07:58 AM
CHRISTIAN COTRONEO
STAFF REPORTER
Flags will fly unbowed on Parliament Hill, despite the deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.
Half-mast had become the rule under the Liberal government when Canadians lost their lives in the line of duty.
But yesterday Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor said the Conservative government is harkening back to an older tradition — and keeping the flags flying high on the Peace Tower and other federal buildings.
"We have returned to the 80-year tradition of remembering all casualties of war or operations on one day — Nov. 11," O'Connor said during a news conference yesterday.
He criticized Paul Martin's Liberal regime as being "inconsistent" when it came to honouring soldiers.
However, the flag atop defence headquarters in Ottawa was at half-mast yesterday.
O'Connor said the defence department has its own policies regarding flags, and "at the appropriate places, the flags are at half-mast."
posted on April 26, 2006 04:25:35 PMSgt. Leger was one of four Canadian soldiers killed by a U.S. pilot who mistook their live-ammunition exercise for a hostile attack. The soldiers were the first Canadians to die in combat since the Korean War.
So this pilot took Pres. Bush's decree that "those not with us on Iraq, are against us" a little too literally?
We haven't had any troops killed in Afghanistan yet. Most are special forces (some speak the dialects) or engineers and medical personal working on regional reconstruction.
posted on April 26, 2006 06:37:47 PM
!st Place Photo of the year
First Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac. During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as one of the most powerful in the process: "See the people in the windows? They'll sit right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home," he said. "They're going to remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should."
2nd Place
Second Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. "I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it," she said. "I think that's what he would have wanted."
"“More Iraqis think things are going well in Iraq than Americans do. I guess they don’t get the New York Times over there.”—Jay Leno".
posted on April 26, 2006 10:19:43 PM
Those are marvelous pictures and story. Something you don't see and brings it all home Thanks for sharing.
**************
Some minds are like concrete,
thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
Thanks for sharing.