Statement made on 22 June 2011 by Senator Roméo Dallaire
Hon. Roméo Antonius Dallaire:
Honourable senators, on May 30, 2011, the Prime Minister went to visit Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. Our soldiers have served with courage, honour and integrity. Canadians are proud of the work they have accomplished and of the role they have played in lessening the global threat posed by Afghan terrorism.
As the combat mission in Kandahar is winding down and the training mission in Kabul is getting started, I would like to congratulate our soldiers on a job well done and on the sacrifices made by their families. I wish them courage and tenacity in their new role, which will certainly not be without its challenges.
Canadian soldiers deserve to be congratulated for the sacrifices they have made on the ground: 156 soldiers have died in combat and many others have been wounded. They deserve to be supported when they return, because of the sacrifices they have made to serve Canada and the free world.
I have met many veterans when our troops were returning to Canada. We must take care of them.
Therefore, I find it shameful and most unorthodox that these soldiers are being used as props in the background of a press conference. When the Prime Minister asks Canadian soldiers to gather in front of a big Canadian flag while he speaks to journalists, this forces our soldiers into the political arena, which goes against the norms and customs of our country.
The Prime Minister, the Minister of National Defence and the Veterans Affairs Minister can visit the troops and speak with them, but they should not deliberately use military personnel to promote their own personal images or aspirations. This is in poor taste and is a typically American characteristic, unlike any other leader of the ABCA countries, that is, America, Britain, Canada and Australia.
The Prime Minister is neither the head of state nor the Commander-in-Chief. I think it is important to remind him periodically which side of the border he is on and that the Canadian way does not mean showing contempt by using our soldiers as political pawns in the political arena.