Monday, October 29, 2007

Families are the Unsung Heroes


On Saturday evening, the prime minister spoke on the importance of soldiers' families at CFB Valcartier, near Quebec City.
"Our troops get the strength they need for the hard, dangerous work we ask them to do from the support they get back home," Harper said in a brief speech to open a fundraiser for the base's family resource centre.
"So, my job, and our government's job, is to support the families just as much as we support the troops." Prime Minister Stephen Harper today attended a fundraising event for military families at CFB Valcartier, home base of the Royal 22nd Regiment that now leads the Canadian mission in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The fourth annual Criée d'automne includes a dinner, silent auction and raffle that raises funds for the Valcartier Military Family Resources Center.Speaking at the dinner, Prime Minister Harper called the families of soldiers serving in Afghanistan “the unsung heroes of Canada’s mission. The strength of the support back home is one of the main reasons our troops are world-renowned for their skill, courage and professionalism.” Prime Minister Harper said. “I’ve talked to soldiers deployed overseas and I can tell you they all feel better over there, knowing their families are being taken care of back here by organizations like Military Family Resources Center. The Canadian Forces really are a family, and a family takes care of its own.”
"Thank you Prime Minister Harper!"

Harper also said Canada's international reputation has grown since it began security and reconstruction work in the volatile regions of southern Afghanistan.

Peter MacKay
In response to Anti-war protesters marching across Canada to denouncing the Afghan mission, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the very fact the demonstrations could take place Saturday indicated why Canada should be taking part in the Afghan mission.
"This is exactly the type of freedom and expression that we enjoy in this country, that we're able to demonstrate, that we are hoping to establish in a place like Afghanistan,"

The minister said the presence of Canadian troops creates security, which is directly related to promoting democracy, including freedom of expression.
"I implore people who are out in the streets and who are expressing themselves to keep in mind that were we to follow that direction (to withdraw the troops), Canada, in my view, would be stepping away from the very rights they hope to demonstrate."

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