2008 Canadian election – Global News

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09-11-2008

Today's Buzz: "If we did that, then my son died in vain."

Canwest News Service

Jim Davis with son Paul Davis in Winnipeg on the day he left for Afghanistan, Jan 23, 2006. (Family handout photo)

Jim Davis, whose son Cpl. Paul Davis was killed in Afghanistan in 2006, expressed disappointment in a TV interview over Prime Minister Stephen Harper's plans to end the Canadian combat mission in Afghanistan in 2011.

"I would never want to see another soldier go in harm's way so I can justify my son's death," he said, "but at the same time, if we pull up stakes and come home when we're not ready to - when the mission is not complete - if we did that, then my son died in vain."

The misstep: Ryan Sparrow, the Conservative party's director of communications, sent an e-mail to a reporter soon after, pointing out that the elder Davis is a partisan Liberal supporter.

The fallout: Sparrow was suspended for the duration of the campaign. He also called Davis to apologize - the second apology issued by the Conservative camp this week.

The response: Harper, speaking to supporters in Quebec, said he'd "set a tone and an expectation" for the election race that he will ensure is "followed all the way to victory."

Posted by: aterry

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Ana says:

I'm sorry he lost his son. But I agree with Harper, we can't babysitt Afghanistan forever. We need to let them take responsability for their own contry and just be there as advisors and peace keepers. I remember the days when saying you where Canadian overseas gave you a friend status, now they see as just as they do see Americans, the world do not respect us anymore.

Ken Campbell says:

Mr Sparrow did nothing wrong. He merely pointed out that Mr. Davis is a Liberal supporter and a Liberal Party worker. Which is perfectly true.I fail to understand why Mr. Davis is "shocked" and "disappointed" by Mr. Harper's affirmation of the 2011 deadline for troop withdrawal. This commitment was made, by all-party agreement, MONTHS AGO. Why would Mr. Davis wait until the middle of an election to express his apparent disapproval? Of course his motives are suspect. If Mr. Davis wishes to express criticism of an all-party commiment, during an election campaign, and aiming his criticism at Mr. Harper, then, his dead son notwithstanding, he should reasonably expect a response. Mr. Davis, in making a political statement, is not above criticism, simply because lost his son in Afghanistan, an issue to which Mr. Sparrow made no reference whatsoever.

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