Defense Minister Peter MacKay says tangible progress being made in Afghanistan

By Kirk Starratt

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

Thanks to the hard work and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, the Minister of National Defense says tangible progress is being made in Afghanistan.

“My observation is that we are making progress,” said Peter MacKay. “We are seeing democracy take root.”

MacKay was the guest speaker at the Kings North Progressive Conservative Association annual meeting at the Kentville Legion March 28. Prior to speaking, MacKay, along with Kings North MLA and Environment and Labour Minister Mark Parent and local legion and military representatives, recognized and presented medals to two Afghanistan veterans who served their country there for seven months before returning home last summer: MCpl Darryl McCann and MCpl Aaron Miller.

MacKay said he recently had a visit from six female MPs from the Afghan parliament. This would be a normal course of events for many countries; what was profound was every one of them lives under the constant threat of assassination.

One told him she has to have bodyguards stay with her children when she travels to the capital. Another told him a story of thinking of running for government and having her family members nailed to a tree.

There were Canadians killed in the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and in the plane that flew to the Pentagon, and MacKay said one reason for our being in Afghanistan is to protect our own national interests. He said we must remind ourselves of the commitment being made each and every day in Afghanistan by our armed forces, and a democratic government there has asked us to remain.

“This isn’t an independent effort on our part,” he said, pointing out our presence has put us in good stead with the international community. He feels safe in saying at no other point in his lifetime has he seen such an outpouring of respect and gratitude for our men and women in uniform - and it will continue.

He said he saw 400 Afghan people working to construct a paved highway being paid for by the Government of Canada. The infrastructure will allow people to travel without threat of explosive devices. He said people there are doing things for themselves, and they will fiercely defend the infrastructure.

With the issue of Afghanistan, he said it’s ironic that it takes an issue outside our country to bring our focus back. He said it was an important issue to pass the house and it happened. He said debate of the Afghan mission went on for 30 hours on one occasion and, on another occasion, the opposition didn’t bother showing up to take part.

MacKay said one thing the federal Conservatives have tried to do is have less talk and more delivery - and reach realistic goals.

“It all takes a collaborative effort,” he said.

On Atlantic issues...

MacKay said Camp Aldershot is an important enabler of the base infrastructure of our province. It’s important to have the equipment needed to support search and rescue and the coast guard. MacKay said one important issue as a nation is investing in the sovereignty of our Arctic, including our military presence there.

MacKay said the Atlantic Gateway effort to bring large container ships into our ports would create jobs and other economic spin-offs, attracting people who have moved away for better opportunities to come home.

“There’s a homing device in all Nova Scotians to bring us back,” he said.

The Atlantic Gateway concept is one of the most exciting things we’ve seen in Nova Scotia in some time, he said.

MacKay said he is proud to be part of a government moving us in the right direction and, when they go back to the people, they will have a record to be proud of. He said there has been a lot of progress, both at home and abroad. Nova Scotia will be a major beneficiary of progress yet to come.

He said Premier Rodney MacDonald is committed to seeing high-speed internet across the province, very important to businesses and individuals. MacKay pointed out Kings North MLA and Environment and Labour Minister Mark Parent is an important member of the provincial government.

In the Valley...

In thanking MacKay on behalf of the Kings North PCs, David Hovell said we’re seeing action and leadership from government that we haven’t seen in a while, and MacKay is a member of the Harper government who is delivering - and hasn’t forgotten about Nova Scotia. Hovell said he’s proud to say there are two surrogate MPs in the Valley - MacKay and Gerald Keddy, and we’re not going unnoticed in Ottawa.

Hovell said the premier would create two new departments, the Department of Labour and Work Force Development, which would help keep our young people at home; and the Department of Environment. Parent will head the two departments.

“We’re very proud of Mark Parent’s accomplishments,” he said.

Kings North PC Association volunteer Joan Tracey said the premier made the right choice when he placed Parent in charge of the Environment and Labour portfolios.