In the midst of turmoil in Parliament over the treatment of prisoners taken by Canadian forces in Afghanistan, the Official Opposition introduces a motion to ensure Canada's NATO commitment in the region ends on schedule, in February 2009, in accordance with the will of Parliament when the mission was approved and with the wishes of most Canadians who want their troops safely home while some other nation takes its turn at peacemaking. The Harper government, stinging from criticism that it is allowing prisoners to be tortured is afraid to show any weakness in overseeing the mission and insists there be no timetable for commitment.
So who rides in on his white horse to rescue the minority government from certain defeat on the motion? Why Jack Layton and his NDP, of course. Adamantly opposed to the Afghanistan mission at it outset, Layton, terrified that the government he has been propping-up in Parliament might suffer some embarrassment, no longer believes that a three-year NATO commitment is too long, but that it is too short? Oh sorry - no, he believes any commitment is too long. But faced with the choice of an indeterminate commitment or a 22 month commitment, Layton prefers to go with indeterminate.
Maybe he thinks he will be PM before 2009 and able to recall the troops on his own. Or maybe he is just an idiot.
So be it resolved that Jack Layton is the official idiot - er court jester - to Stephen Harper. All in favour? Motion adopted.
So who rides in on his white horse to rescue the minority government from certain defeat on the motion? Why Jack Layton and his NDP, of course. Adamantly opposed to the Afghanistan mission at it outset, Layton, terrified that the government he has been propping-up in Parliament might suffer some embarrassment, no longer believes that a three-year NATO commitment is too long, but that it is too short? Oh sorry - no, he believes any commitment is too long. But faced with the choice of an indeterminate commitment or a 22 month commitment, Layton prefers to go with indeterminate.
Maybe he thinks he will be PM before 2009 and able to recall the troops on his own. Or maybe he is just an idiot.
So be it resolved that Jack Layton is the official idiot - er court jester - to Stephen Harper. All in favour? Motion adopted.
