Harper must do more for Canadian forces and their families

Conservatives focusing more on military hardware and length of the mission to Afghanistan than on the welfare of troops and their loved ones at home Ottawa (28 Jan. 2008) - The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) says the Harper government must provide more support for Canadian forces in Afghanistan and take steps to improve the quality of life for their families back home.

National Union President James Clancy has written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper urging the government to change its priorities in the wake of revelations by outgoing military ombudsmen Yves Côté and recommendations contained in the report from the advisory committee led by John Manley.

"The National Union agrees with Messrs. Côté and Manley that our troops deserve the best in material and social support that our country can offer them. It is no small matter to choose to serve in our military and we must commit to seeing that they are treated well," Clancy writes.

"Unfortunately, as both Messrs. Côté and Manley have indicated, our government has not adequately provided necessary support to our troops or their families.

"Mr. Côté has reported that his office has dealt with far too many families who have faced too much opposition when dealing with either the death or injury of a loved one or when accessing necessary support services. Our country must do better."

Clancy said the Harper Conservatives have established a pattern of allocating money "quickly and easily" for military hardware, and for lengthening the mission in Afghanistan, but they tend to support forces and their families only when embarrassed into doing so."

The National Union remains critical of the continuing presence of Canadian troops in Afghanistan.

"The National Union disagrees with the report from the Manley advisory panel on the necessity of Canadian troops staying in Afghanistan," Clancy says.

"We have felt, from the beginning that the decision to deploy troops to Afghanistan was done without the full and democratic debate that such a decision merits. Once in Afghanistan our mission was changed dramatically without, again, a serious and open public discussion on the goals of the mission or the likelihood of success." NUPGE

More information:

? James Clancy letter to Stephen Harper on Canadian mission in Afghanistan

(Published as n28ja08c.htm)