CTV says Harper gov't forbids press from being on base when dead Canadian

[glarius]

soldiers return to Trenton base tomorrow....Craig Oliver just now called it "something taken right out of George Bush's handbook."....Perhaps that will be Harper's undoing. He had CTV on his side from before he was elected, but seems so tone deaf he doesn't know how to keep them there. If he get's them mad...watch out!

[AX10]

1. WARNING: THE LIBERALS BETTER GET THEIR ACT TOGEHTER....

ASAP!!! Understand? And yes, it will be the Liberals who unseat the Cons. Be pragmatic, vote Liberal. In 2000, some people voted for Nader (think NDP) over Gore and look what we got now. :scared:

Who will be the Liberal's new leader?

[Spazito]

2. Here is the CTV article on this...

Media barred from covering soldiers' return

The media will be barred from the airfield at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont., when a plane carrying the remains of four Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan lands on Tuesday evening.

In the past, television and print media have been invited to attend when the bodies of Canadian soldiers who have fallen overseas are repatriated.

News organizations were informed of the media ban by telephone calls just before the end of business in Ottawa on Monday.

Government officials said the policy is permanent.

more

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060416/flag_afghanistan__060424/20060424?hub=TopStories

[tuvor]

3. "Politics had nothing to do with the decision."

Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor insisted politics had nothing to do with the decision.

"The repatriation of our fallen soldiers back to Canada is a private and solemn event between the families and the Canadian Forces."

[glarius]

4. It seems to me I've heard that song before.

"The repatriation of our fallen soldiers back to Canada is a private and solemn event between the families and the Canadian Forces."....That sounds to me like the same sentiments uttered south of the border when their dead soldiers started coming home...Craig Oliver is right. It is out of Bush's handbook.

[tuvor]

5. The only thing Harper has yet to do

is to make it a point never to attend ceremonies for our fallen soldiers.

Let's keep an eye on that, shall we?

[glarius]

6. I heard earlier on CBC that he is not attending the ceremonies for these

soldiers, so that will probably go for any others that come home in coffins...I don't have a link but it will be repeated on upcoming newscasts. He really knows how to make a winning decision, eh?...The guy is tone deaf!

[tuvor]

7. CBC readers' opinions on not lowering the flag at the H of C.

Apparently they didn't solicit opinions on the photo ban, but if anyone's interested in what some folks are saying...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/yourspace/flag_halfmast.html

[Bragi]

8. This is a bullshit controversy

Note how the Libs and the NDP -- neither of which has the courage to advocate removing Canadian troops from this dangerous and pointless deployment -- are both trying to score super-patriot points by calling for half-masting of the flag presumably every time someone in uniform dies.

As Harper tries to convince Canadians that we must become a militaristic state, can you not smell the Bushian roses? Seems to me they are approaching full bloom, and just as was the case in the US, there are no elected political leaders prepared to represent the antiwar sentiment that exists in this country.

- B

[Mother Jones]

9. Well said

It's extremely disturbing that we don't have anyone representing the large anti-war voice in this country.

[Bragi]

10. How long can antiwar sentiment last?

The last poll I recall on support for the Afghan mission showed that support had gone up to 55 per cent, but that 40 per cent still remained opposed.

Given that there is no voice for antiwar sentiment in Parliament, and given that Canada's flag-waving media have been as uncritical and "patriotic" (sic) as US media were when Bush invaded Iraq, it is surpising and gratifying to see that 4 in 10 Canadians remain opposed to participation in this war.

If antiwar sentiment continues to be all but invisible in Parliament, and continues to be marginalized in our media, and as the "Save Our Troops" bumper stickers proliferate across Canada, it seems likely that the number of people opposed to the war will decline, at least short term.

- B

[AX10]

11. What about Iraq? How strong is the opposition to Iraq.

I know Canada opposed it in the first place, but how is that going now?

[Bragi]

12. My guess...

I haven't seen any recent polls, but I would guess that there continues to be very little support for the Iraq war in Canada. Support was never much more than about 40 per cent at its highest, around when the invasion happened, and support for the war has gone down steadily since then. Similarly, support for Bush here is very, very low.

What has happened is that Harper, and the Libs before him, pitched the Afghan deployment as a Canadian initiative quite different from, and in fact unrelated to, the Iraq war. So I don't see support for the Afghan deployment leading to any renewed support for the Iraq war, or for Bush, among Canadians, at least in my opinion.

- B

[Spazito]

13. Canadians are very anti-Iraq to the tune of about 70% if not higher

Afghanistan is a bit more convuluted but the numbers in support will go down as more Canadian troops are killed and injured, it is only a matter of time.

[Canuckistanian]

14. I sent a message to my Conservative MP today

I told him that this seemed to be a trend designed to emulate the US. I'll wait to see what comes back.

[imouttahere]

15. If you haven't already started, Canadians...

it's time to start examing Harper for signs of simian resemblance. How could his admin possibly be more transparently BushCo's lapdogs???

[CHIMO]

16. Dead soldier's father has critical words for PM

Wingham, Ont. — Thousands paid tribute Saturday as the first of four Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan was laid to rest.

And the father of Cpl. Matthew Dinning had some critical words for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Dinning was remembered through a video presentation that also criticized how the federal government is handling the return of its fallen soldiers.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060429.wsoldier-funeral29/BNStory/National/home

Soldier's father lashes out at PM during funeral

WINGHAM, Ont. — Cpl. Matthew Dinning was eulogized today through the tears of friends, a brother’s beer can toast, and his father’s harsh words for Prime Minister Stephen Harper at a funeral attended by thousands in his hometown.

Mourners watched Dinning’s life unfold on a giant video screen as Lincoln Dinning screened home movies of his son singing O Canada at age 6, appearing as Robin Hood in a school play and delivering a speech at a wedding.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1146310748782&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home

Family, friends, honour fallen soldier
Last Updated Sat, 29 Apr 2006 11:30:25 EDT
CBC News

Hundreds of people gathered at a hockey arena in Wingham, Ont., on Saturday to pay their respects to Cpl. Matthew Dinning, who was killed in Afghanistan a week ago.



Hope that the politicians remember the saying "That you reap what you ..."

[glarius]

17. Here's a video clip of his father criticizing Harper.

His father comes on towards the end. It's only a 2 and a half min. clip.
http://www.cbc.ca/MRL/clips/rm-lo/nagy-funeral-060429.rm