The Conservatives Write Back

On behalf of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, I would like to
acknowledge receipt of your correspondence regarding Canada's commitment to
Afghanistan. Please be assured that your comments have been carefully
reviewed.

Canada's Government strongly supports the United Nations-sanctioned mission
in Afghanistan. We are committed to this multilateral effort to root out the
Taliban, stabilize the country and prevent the spread of terrorism. This is
a mission that the international community must not allow to fail or
Afghanistan may relapse into anarchy and again become a haven for extremists
and terrorists. Canada's efforts in Afghanistan can make our world safer and
uplift the Afghan people as they rebuild their shattered country.

The brave men and women of the Canadian Forces have risen to the many
challenges presented by this dangerous assignment. They have made tremendous
sacrifices in the service of securing a more peaceful world. Our government
believes that we must provide them with the resources necessary to fulfil
their mission. Anything less would dishonour the bravery and determination
that they display on the ground every day in Afghanistan.

Fulfilling our military objectives in Afghanistan is an essential
precondition for reconstruction and development. The tremendous work done by
the Canadian Forces allows us to proceed with this critical humanitarian
work, which is our number one priority. By improving security and providing
military and police training, our soldiers are making a real difference.

As the Taliban are driven out, we are able to make much needed investments
in Afghanistan's future that improve the daily lives of the Afghan people.
Afghanistan receives more Canadian foreign aid than any other country. In
fact, recently we announced a new investment of up to $200 million in
reconstruction, development, good governance and law and order funding. The
continued success of NATO forces and Afghan troops is essential to
successfully implementing these reconstruction and development initiatives.

These efforts have improved the lives of the Afghan people and earned Canada
considerable praise from the government of Afghanistan and our international
partners. As you may know, last fall the President of Afghanistan Hamid
Karzai visited Canada to express his appreciation personally. The vital work
being performed by the Canadian Forces is in the best tradition of Canadian
international leadership. We are restoring our country's reputation as a
responsible leader on the international stage.

Canada does not stand alone in Afghanistan. Throughout this multilateral
mission we have fought side by side with our NATO allies. Unfortunately,
some NATO partners have been reluctant to assume a combat role. The Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Bernier, and the Minister of National Defence,
Peter MacKay, continue to press for enhanced NATO support for the
Afghanistan mission. We have been very encouraged by new troop deployments
on the part of the United States, United Kingdom, Poland, Denmark, the
Netherlands, and Romania. Our government will continue to work with our
international partners to enhance support for this critical mission.

There are significant challenges in Afghanistan, but the skill and
determination of Canada's diplomats, development experts, and military
personnel is resulting in hard-earned meaningful progress. Global security
and the future of the Afghan people hinge on our success. Canada's
Government will continue to support the reconstruction mission in
Afghanistan - a mission that serves Canada's national interests and fulfils
our international obligations.

You can learn more about Canada's important diplomatic, defence and
development contributions to the stabilization and reconstruction of
Afghanistan by visiting http://www.canada-afghanistan.gc.ca.

Thank you for your writing to the Prime Minister.





M. Bredeson
Executive Correspondence Officer
for the Prime Minister's Office
Agent de correspondance
de la haute direction pour le Cabinet du Premier ministre

UMMM......CAN WE SAY LIES?!....THE WAR TO BE FIGHTING IS RIGHT HERE IN CANADA, NOT IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE MADE NO PROGRESS AT ALL IN PEACEKEEPING, WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN DOING GENERAL FLY BY BOMBINGS IN CIVILIAN AREAS OF UNREST, IF THAT IS CALLED PROGRESS, THEN YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO DOWN TO EAST HASTINGS IN VANCOUVER AND BLOW THE PLACE UP MAYBE THAT WILL STOP POVERTY, DRUGS, AND BOOST UP TOURISM....IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CONSERVATIVES HAVE THE SAME CORRESPONDENT AS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION, WHERE THEY HAVE WON THE WAR IN IRAQ NUMEROUS TIMES, AND YET ARE STILL THERE KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE, WHEREAS TERRORISM IS ON THE RISE, AND ACTUALLY MORE ORGANIZED THAN BEFORE THE WAR...SO LETS START LOOKING WITHIN IN OUR OWN COUNTRY WHERE MOTHER NATURE IS FIGHTING HER OWN WAR, AND LETS FIGHT FOR HER BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE...PUTTING OUR TAX MONEY INTO MILITARY OPERATIONS FOR OTHER COUNTRIES IS BECOMING REALLY OLD, AND CLEARLY WE HAVE NOT LEARNT FROM ITS DISASTEROUS CONSEQUENCES...NOW WE NEED TO FOCUS ON PUTTING MONEY WHERE IT CAN ACTUALLY HELP US CANADIANS, AND THE WORLD IN A MORE REAL WAY; TOWARDS HELPING MOTHER EARTH RECOVER BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE WHICH IS PROJECTED TO BE IN 34 YEARS IF WE KEEP IGNORING HER....VOTE WITH YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS, IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP, AND SEE THAT CANADIAN POLITICS IS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO AMERICAN TOTALITARIANISM, THE GREEN PARTY IS NO LONGER A JOKE, IT IS OUR WAY OF SAYING NO TO WAR AND YES TO LIFE...AND IF THEY DON'T DO IT, LOOK FOR ME IN RUNNING FOR PRIME MINISTER....WELL, I WOULD STILL PREFER ELIZABETH MAY, OR MAYBE A YOUNGER DAVID SUZUKI....
PEACE, SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009