Canada should focus effort on relief in Afghanistan, not combat

Canada’s role in Afghanistan must shift back from an unbalanced combat mission to one that provides diplomacy and support April 9, 2007 OTTAWA – Green Party leader Elizabeth May today expressed sorrow at the news that six more Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan lost their lives on Easter Sunday. The young men were killed by a roadside bomb west of Kandahar city. “The Green Party would withdraw Canadian troops from the Kandahar region,” said Ms. May. “Our troops should be pulled back to Kabul and the northern provinces to focus on providing relief and assisting with reconstruction efforts.” Ms. May stressed that Canada’s role in Afghanistan must shift back from an unbalanced combat mission to providing the diplomacy and support the country needs to achieve lasting peace. “Canadian soldiers are now less safe, thanks to the decision taken by the United States to ignore Canadian advice and destroy poppy crops after our troops had promised farmers their crops would be left alone. Poppies are a major source of income for the Afghani people and their eradication has left starvation and devastation in areas where Canadian troops are responsible.” The Green Party would heed advice from the Senlis Council, an international think-tank. The Senlis Council suggests growing poppies under controlled conditions for medicinal purposes, helping farmers to break the cycle of growing poppies for illicit use. For more information see our December 8, 2006 release at http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/08.12.2006