2006-04 (April)
BLAINE CALKINS MP REPORT
April 25, 2006
Afghanistan
Canadians are mourning the recent deaths of the four brave soldiers who were killed on April 22nd when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb north of Kandahar.
When these tragedies occur people are inclined to ask why Canadian troops were sent to this dangerous area. Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor explained it this way, “By preventing Afghanistan from becoming, once again, a base for the spread of terrorism, our troops on the ground are protecting Canada. Our troops are putting themselves on the line for all of us.”
The new Conservative Government believes in many long-held and valued military traditions. The long-standing military tradition of commemorating the lives of fallen soldiers by only lowering the flag on the Peace Tower on Remembrance Day demonstrates this principle. Another long-established tradition is the lowering of the flag to half-mast from the time of death until sunset on the day of the funeral at the location of the deployed unit; the home base unit; and depending on soldiers unit, the Army/ Navy/Air Force Head Quarters. This is the policy of the new Conservative government and it is supported in an open letter from the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada.
In 2002, when four Canadians were killed in the “friendly fire” incident, Jean Chrétien’s government began making exceptions to this traditional policy. It was done on an ad hoc, random basis until the fall of 2005 when the Liberal Defence Minister reverted back to the original protocol that served us through two world wars, Korea and countless other military operations.
The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the lives of the men and women in the Armed Forces by ensuring they have the training, equipment and funding to do the jobs we ask of them. As a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Defence, I will do everything I can to support our military.
Encounters with Canada
Canadian Heritage Minister, Bev Oda, announced plans for a renewed Encounters with Canada program. This popular program runs from September to December and from January to May. Each week, up to 138 high school students from across the country come to Ottawa to discover more about Canada, to get to know young people from different backgrounds and regions and to gain a better understanding of our major institutions.
Accountability Act
As promised in the Throne Speech, and in the last election campaign, the first Bill introduced in this Parliament was the Federal Accountability Act. If passed, this comprehensive, far-reaching legislation will bring in a corruption watchdog to protect whistleblowers against bullying and close the revolving door between lobby firms and Ministers’ offices. It will end the influence bought by corporate and union donations and give more investigative power to the Auditor General.
If you wish more information on these or any federally related matters please contact my Constituency office at: #6, 4612 - 50th Street, Ponoka, T4J 1S7 tel: (403) 783-5530 or toll free at 1-800-665-0865 or check my web site: www.blainecalkinsmp.ca
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