Capt. Chris Reeves, seated at left, assists a soldier at a remote forward operating base in Afghanistan cast an advance ballot Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008 for the Oct. 14 federal election. Election day for most voters is Oct. 14, but Canadians soldiers in Afghanistan have already started to cast their ballots. Photo Credit: Canadian Press
Our soldiers are VOTING!
Advance voting is now underway way at Kandahar Air Field and at forwarding operating bases in the country.
A military elections officer said there have been some challenges in getting ballots to soldiers in some of Afghanistan's more remote locations. But he noted that no Canadian soldier will be denied the right to vote. (whew... my son really was proactive in our family and circle of friends when it came time to vote. EVERYONE had to vote. Although he MAY have given strong suggestions to which party to vote for - a party he had worked closely with)
Soldiers and Canadian civilians attached to military operations in Afghanistan will be able to cast their ballots -- for a candidate in his or her home riding -- until Oct. 8.
One soldier said the political parties' positions on Afghanistan were paramount in his voting process.
"The party that's going to support me the most while I'm over here is a big concern for me ... that's kind of the way I voted this year," Cpl. Dave MacDonald said.
Last March, Parliament overwhelmingly passed a motion to extend the military mission in Afghanistan to 2011.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said last month that Canada's military commitment in the country will end at that time.
The Liberals have also said the country's military focus in Afghanistan should end in 2011 and they had supported the Tories in the spring to extend the mission. The NDP had voted against extension.
More than 2,500 Canadian soldiers are based in Afghanistan.
A military elections officer said there have been some challenges in getting ballots to soldiers in some of Afghanistan's more remote locations. But he noted that no Canadian soldier will be denied the right to vote. (whew... my son really was proactive in our family and circle of friends when it came time to vote. EVERYONE had to vote. Although he MAY have given strong suggestions to which party to vote for - a party he had worked closely with)
Soldiers and Canadian civilians attached to military operations in Afghanistan will be able to cast their ballots -- for a candidate in his or her home riding -- until Oct. 8.
One soldier said the political parties' positions on Afghanistan were paramount in his voting process.
"The party that's going to support me the most while I'm over here is a big concern for me ... that's kind of the way I voted this year," Cpl. Dave MacDonald said.
Last March, Parliament overwhelmingly passed a motion to extend the military mission in Afghanistan to 2011.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said last month that Canada's military commitment in the country will end at that time.
The Liberals have also said the country's military focus in Afghanistan should end in 2011 and they had supported the Tories in the spring to extend the mission. The NDP had voted against extension.
More than 2,500 Canadian soldiers are based in Afghanistan.
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1 comment:
I worked as a civilian alongside the Canadian Military in Kandahar (KAF), which I found to be a life alternating experience... all for the best!
I am on year 2 now, and still would not be anywhere else in the world.
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