Canada: Tories keep media away from coffins

[Robbien]

OTTAWA — The Conservative government has taken steps to keep the public from seeing images of flag-draped coffins when fallen soldiers are returned home from Afghanistan. For the first time since the Afghan mission began, the government will shut down an Ontario airfield when the remains of four soldiers killed over the weekend are returned Tuesday.

. . .

Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor insisted politics had nothing to do with closing the Trenton air base for Tuesday’s return ceremony. “I have made the most appropriate decision during this most emotional time for the families,” O’Connor said. “The repatriation of our fallen soldiers back to Canada is a private and solemn event between the families and the Canadian Forces.”

Senior government officials said the decision to restrict access to CFB Trenton was O’Connor’s.

But other government sources said the edict came directly from Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office, and that defence brass were ordered to keep the media at bay.

A source at the Department of National Defence said that the request for privacy did not come from the military, and flew in the face of longstanding Canadian Forces practice.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1145915412052&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. Lying Conservatives???

What a surprise.

[rodeodance]

2. well, well, what a surprize, -and the Canadians will accept it like most

of the US has!!

[LynnTheDem]

3. O'Connor = LIAR.

Canadians don't fall for that rightwingnut bullshit, O'Connor. You LIAR.

[genieroze]

4. How did these nuts get into power, got Diebold?

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. I find this parallel move of Bushco to be most disturbing -

.
.
.

From the posted article:

It echoes a policy attempted by the Bush administration. Concerns that a stream of images of coffins draped in the Stars and Stripes would diminish public support for the Iraq war prompted the White House to impose a publication ban.

/snip/

Liberals called the move "callous." And they said the decision to restrict viewing of soldiers’ caskets was unprecedented for a Canadian prime minister.

“He has lifted a page from the Bush book and borrowed the Bush modus operandi,” said Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh.

“Dare I say president Harper is following in the footsteps of President Bush?
________________________________________________________________

If the majority of Canadians accept Harper's muzzling the press, then hiding the death toll of our combat involvement in BUSH's war,

Then I will be truly distressed.

(sigh)

I dearly hope and pray that many of those that put Harper in power are kicking their own asses.

[saigon68]

6. “He has lifted a page from the Bush book

It works too----- "That way the sheep sleep in blisful ignorance."

Get it "SHEEP SLEEP"

[HuffleClaw]

7. i am sickened.

by this bushco.-brand attempt to hide the horror of war from the public. they are really gonna regret this.

[zann725]

8. Of course the "order" came from Harper's office. A Shrub-placed clone,

if ever there was one.

Just remember the old adage not-so-noble leaders, "You can run, but you can not hide..." from the fatality count of war. Each of those Flag-hidden bodies,leaves beind a grieving, now-empty family, or wife, or mother/day or children. THAT can NOT be "covered up" or forgotten. Covering a "wound" and not treating it, only causes it to fester...as any doctor would advise.

[Canuckistanian]

9. This is unprecedenteed

The Canadian government and military have always followed the British tradition of honouring fallen soldiers with public processions and displays of flags at half-mast.

This will not sit well with either the Canadian Armed Forces or the public at large.

Moreover, it will be seen as ideological pandering to *.

And we all know what happened to the party that last tried to snuggle up to American conservatives.

[buzzard]

10. True, and I hope you have let your elected officials know what you

think about this, I know I have and will be encouraging others to do so as well.

[Canuckistanian]

11. I'm going to send a message to my MP

He's a Conservative, but a decent guy, he gets a lot of respect around here, including me.

I've written to him before and he's responded.

[buzzard]

15. Let Gordon O'Connor know at the #'s below

[phone] (Parliament Hill)
[phone] (Constituency Office)

or drop him a line:

[e-mail]

or

[e-mail]

[AnneD]

12. I heard this this am...

and was hoping for Canadian input. This is exactly what Bushco did here. Out of site out of mind. It's ok to wrap yourself in the flag, but whatever you do, don't show flags wrapped around coffins. I hope this causes a stink. I heard some PO's were flying the flag at half staff anyway. Good for them. Kick up a fuss. Tar and feather them with this and make it stick.

[Canuckistanian]

13. I've already writen my MP about this very subject

Here's the text of my message:

I would just like to express my disapproval of the recent decision by the Conservative government to ban media coverage of coffins of fallen soldiers returned from Aghanistan.

I see this as part of a worrisome trend to try and minimize the political damage
caused by the death of our troops.

Not only is this a break from tradition of fully honouring the members of our Armed Forces, but is seen by by me as some kind of emulation of similar tactics in the United States.

I urge you to tell the Prime Minister that this manoeuver does nothing to prevent the people from knowing about the deaths nor does it help the current debate about our proper role in Aghanistan.

This government is starting to be seen as increaingly secretive and this does not serve the interest of open and fair government that you campaigned on in the last election.

Thank You

[AnneD]

14. Good on ya..

...eh.;)

[laundry_queen]

20. I emailed my MP too...

Although not nearly so eloquent as yours. I plan to print it out and send it snail mail as well.

[Robbien]

16. New article. Complaints are coming in

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=077c4a24-c89e-44c5-b87d-64926c00d37c&k=35135

MPs, soldiers' families criticize media ban on return of dead soldiers
. . .


The father of the late Sgt. Marcel Leger said the public participation in his son's homecoming in 2002 was something he will cherish forever.

"It was a Canadian thing. It was something we wanted to show all Canadians, what the cost of their liberty is," Richard Leger told the CBC. "It's still heartwarming to (remember) the people's faces. People were lined up on the 401, in 2002, all the way from Trenton to Toronto. They wanted to be there. They had to be there. I was told that often. . . and those are the things I carry with me all my life."

. . .

Ontario MP Garth Turner said he's been "besieged" by angry phone calls from constituents about the caskets and the government's new flag policy.

He said callers panned the move as disrespectful to the fallen soldiers and to regular Canadians who feel they're being shut out of an event of national mourning. "Right now (the calls are) probably running 30 to 1 (against the government)," Turner said.

. . .

British Columbia MP James Moore said Canadians see extensive coverage of military casualties, they see soldiers honouring their fallen comrades in Afghanistan, and get to attend or witness coverage of military funerals.

"I have gotten no phone calls and no e-mails on this subject from any of my constituents yet," Moore said.

"But I know full well that everybody's intention is to try to honour our soldiers the best way possible and I think Prime Minister Harper is doing the exact right thing."

[arikara]

17. Unfortunately the Liberal party is no better

they sent the forces over there without any debate in order to placate the chimp for not joining the "coalition of the willing".

My MP, "Dr" Keith Martin is a warmonger and keeps writing pro-war LTE and opinion pieces in the local paper. He used to be a CRAP party member but crossed the floor to the Liberals. He's a slimy creep. He stands for everything that I disagree with such as corporate 2 tier medicine and war.

I wrote him a letter on this issue not that it will do any good. He must hate hearing from me by now.

[Spazito]

19. I agree, the Libs are now 'duct taped' on this issue unless they

cheerlead for Harper given it was their decision to: First, send the troops there and: Second, to change their mission from one of peace-keeping to a combat mission. Their appointment of Hillier, a war monger, imo, was a very BIG mistake.

[William769]

18. Is Canada becoming little America?

[NinetySix]

21. It'll all work out in the end.

Canadians are not like Americans. They will NOT stand for this self-serving and PR-motivated move on the part of Stephen Harper. Canadians demand a transparency in Government of a kind that Americans seem to have completely forgotten.

The Tories are going to find themselves out exactly one minority Government, and soon, if they keep playing it this way.