MPs wait to see how Parliament debates Manley report
By Bill Rea

There is going to be a debate soon in the House of Commons on Canada's future role in Afghanistan.

But the report of the independent panel studying the matter is sure to add a new wrinkle to those discussions.

The panel, chaired by former Liberal cabinet minister John Manley, released its report last week. In it, it suggested Canada should maintain responsibility for security in Kandahar beyond February 2009, when the country's current commitment is slate to expire. But it also stated Canadians should take more of a role in training the Afghan National Security Forces, while reducing their involvement in combat. As well, it called for the assignment of about 1,000 more soldiers from other countries to Kandahar, and more equipment being supplied to the Canadian contingent.

In the report, Manley agreed deciding Canada's future role in this operation is complicated.

"It is made more complex because we assumed responsibility for fighting an insurgency in a dangerous province of the country and we did so with little political debate and not much public engagement," he stated. "And the insurgency is far from defeated."

But he also added conditions have improved there, although the progress has been slow.

"With all that needs to be done, no end date makes sense at this point," Manley stated, although the report indicated the Canada's commitment should not be "open-ended nor fainthearted."

"Afghanistan presents an opportunity for Canada," the report stated. "For the first time in many years, we have brought a level of commitment to an international problem that gives us real weight and credibility."

He also agreed the cost has been high, although he noted that Canadians historically don't need any lessons in sacrifice.

The report noted that Canada is one of 51 countries that committed to the 2006 Afghanistan compact, which was an international program of aid to help that country's security, governance and development.

As well, the report stated some countries, namely the United States, Britain and Canada, have carried more than their share of th warfighting duties.

York - Simcoe MP Peter Van Loan called the report "thoughtful, serious and well considered," adding it reflected "on positive gains that we have made in Afghanistan and the difficult challenges that are ahead."

He added Canada is part of a mission sanctioned by the United Nations and led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), "very much in the Canadian tradition."

"There are also very serious decisions to be made about where we go in the future," Van Loan observed, adding they will be debated in Parliament.

He also pointed out the original commitment was made by the former Liberal government, with no vote in Parliament.

Oak Ridges - Markham MP Lui Temelkovski said he was eager to hear how the government is going to act on the report. He said he believes Canada should continue to play a more assertive role diplomatically, making it clear that they want out of their combat role by 2009 and using the country's strength in NATO to bring that about.

Temelkovski pointed out Canada has a lot of strength when it comes to negotiating.

"This report is interesting, but the Conservatives know what we want done,' he said. "We want to go back to reconstruction, development and diplomacy."