Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Pinky swear

by Aaron Wherry on Saturday, November 20, 2010 11:08am - 19 Comments

Lawrence Cannon assures that Canada will withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014.

“We might be pressured obviously, but I think the prime minister has made this perfectly clear. March of 2014 is when we will be leaving,” Cannon said at a news conference.

Given the precedent in this regard, this almost certainly means we’ll be there until 2017.

Tags: 2011, 2014, Afghanistan, Canadian Forces, lawrence cannon, military, NATO

More by Aaron Wherry

WDM

Was this before or after he called being asked to extend the mission if circumstances change a "hypothetical" on The House this morning?
ColdStanding

I think this time, for sure, they really, really mean it.

Of course, Britian is just now closing their base in Germany after some 50 years. We haven't closed ours. Hmm. Not to encouraging.
SamDavies

There really must be some kind of intense training – how else can someone say something like that without cracking up, given the circumstances? LoL – "perfectly clear"… as mud….

John W.

I often wonder how the media avoids breaking up during some of these announcements, interviews, and media events. I guess they're so immersed in constant lies they become immune. They don't even hear right anymore. It's just yes sir, no sir, you must be serious after all you're (insert spin doctor politician name). You're Dimitri Soudas I can't laugh at you.

Emily

'the prime minister has made this perfectly clear'….true.

It's just always different than the last time he made it 'perfectly clear'
chet

As for Iggy's position?

He apparantly is content to aquiece to Harper's position in substance, while chirping about this or that from the sidelines, well off the playing field.

Indeed, that accurately describes Iggy's position on pretty much every issue, doesn't it?

Emily

Iggy announced that last June.
Halo_Override

Which has what to do with Cannon?

Oh, sorry, I forgot, you don't do answers or topical responses, only drive-bys.
Sigh

"chirping about this or that from the sidelines, well off the playing field."

Why does that sound familiar?

Stewart_Smith

Actually, Ignatieff (and Rae) are largely responsible for Mackay being able to pull this off. As Emily noted, Harper is the follower on this one.

ZestyMordant

Is anyone else getting really, really sick of Mr. Harper being "perfectly clear"? I wonder who he thinks he's fooling?

Emily

'Hot-air Harper'

ex-canuck

Oooh! You clever thing.

Emily

Accurate, too.

bergkamp

" …. but I think the prime minister has made this perfectly clear."

Clear as mud.

And I don't believe Harper will be PM in three years when decision has to be made.
KC Sunshine

Didn't Richard Milhouse Nixon also want to be perfectly clear. "Now let me make one thing perfectly clear, I am not a crook, I never was a crook".
MP3

Riiiigggghhhtt!
Mike T.

I don't believe it for a second. My biggest current fear is that he's lying when he says our troops are going to stay in a training role – I wouldn't put it past Harper to simply order troops into combat anyway, secretly or not.
Jan

The U.S. has abandoned the counter-insurgency approach and going back to 'shock and awe'. What are the chances we will be in classrooms teaching Afghans about gun safety?