I wonder if there will come a point when Canadians become outraged at what this government is doing? It's summer of course, so most of the nation is busy enjoying that and not thinking about politics. It therefore comes as no big surprise to me that this bit of news came out today.Each small, but decidedly damaging, measure this government takes seems to fly under the radar. I find that disturbing. Is that because Canadians are apathetic, or is it because this government has mastered the art of implementing change by stealth? I tend to think it's a combination of both, in that the government is taking advantage of the apathy.
This move by Hillier is being sold as being in the best interest of the troops. BS! It's in the best interest of the government, full stop. The headline here says it all.
The irony of all of this of course, is the fact that this would not have happened had questions not been raised in the first place. Those questions were justified. If we are to support our troops, are we not entitled to information about what they are being directed to do? We the people, are entitled to oversight from afar and frankly, they the troops deserve that.
Apparently, the US makes public the numbers of, names, etc., of all detainees at Guantanamo on the Pentagon website. (I didn't dig through it, but anyone notice any similarity to this site and our government's ever changing site?)
Here's the kicker to me. They will release the number of Taliban they kill, to us at home and in local media, but not who they detain. Yeah sure, it's all about protecting the troops.
This is all about saving Harper's butt, nothing more.
What our government has done is wrong. Slowly but surely we are being denied information and sadly I'm not sure that Canadians have noticed.
4 comments:
I certainly agree that Harper is trying to save face and probably ordered Hillier to do it,or even O'connor did, but in the beginning, by Harper.
The media does not tell it all, and don't ask why... they are on Harper's side , and yet he hates them. Yes, someone should do soemthing about it, but who will tell the people ? The media sure did well when it came to the liberals and the Scandal , never let anyone forget., and all that Harper gets away with,...nada.
Scott, I'm not into conspiracy theory's, but I share your sense of what is happening with media.
I don't think they are on Harper's side so much, (though many are), as I think they have become a lazy crew. Which came first? Obstruction or, no need to do the work? Perhaps we'll never know.
I'm trying to figure it out actually. I wonder if the restrictions they work under now, make them lazy, or simply unable to report.
For the record...O'Connor cannot do anything without Harper's approval.
That the military is now directing government policy, disgusting.
Canada?
Part of the problem is that we don't seem to have sufficiently aggressive opposition to skewer Hillier, O'Connor and Harper over this. Surely this FOI thing ought never to be left to a general. It's a governmental issue and it is for the minister to explain and defend it, not Rick Hillier. It's troubling to see a military officer so grossly overstep the bounds that divide the military from its civilian masters. He's already had to be slapped down once. No general should get a third chance on this fundamental issue. He should be sacked, now, on the spot. When I was in the military we understood the division of powers and that the military was always subordinate to the elected leaders of the country, not their equal. Military leaders of any repute don't exercise political powers.
Military leaders of any repute don't exercise political powers.
I'm surprised there is not more of on out cry on this. Perhaps it's too soon?
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