Harper's Conservatives wanted Canada to join the war in Iraq

March 17, 2003 - Stephen Harper, then leader of the Conservative Opposition, attacks Jean Chretien's Liberal government for listening to the majority of Canadians and not overtly supporting or sending combat troops into Bush's war in Iraq. The United Nations did not support the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, called the war illegal in 2004.

Massive demonstrations in Quebec and Canada against the impending war in Iraq forced the Liberals to make this public statement against the war in 2003. Chretien's government did send military and command support into the Gulf, and made a deal with the Bush Administration to send a large contingent of combat troops into Afghanistan instead of Iraq (2,500 Canadian troops are currently serving in Kandahar until 2011; as of mid-June 2008, 85 soldiers had been killed).

Harper and his Conservative party (now the minority Government of Canada) strongly advocate for war in the Middle East, have successfully pushed through increases in military spending in Canada as requested by the Bush Administration, and promote a repressive security state that targets Arabs, Muslims and ethnic minorities who do not support their aggressive neo-conservative agenda.

Conservatives Stephen Harper and Stockwell Day are closely tied to the Republican Bush Administration in the United States. Harper and Day's election and political campaigns are heavily funded by oil, gas, defence and conservative lobby groups, both in Canada and the United States.

Copyright © 2008 Toronto Video Activist Collective

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Stephen
• Harper
• Conservative
• Bush
• Iraq
• Stockwell
• Day
• Liberal
• War
• Peace
• Canada
• Canadian
• Forces

[ps3gamer1993]

canada needs to go to war

[TVACdotCA]

... to justify our $490 Billion to be spent on arms, weapons and corporate welfare to the defence industry!

[YanBrassard]

@TVACdotCA

Actually, you are wrong. Canada's military budget is of $20 billion. It has never reached $490 billion. Check your numbers and learn the facts.

[TVACdotCA]

@YanBrassard Please check your own numbers. From the CBC: "The Conservative government has quietly released the details of its extensive plan to beef up the military, including spending $490 billion over the next 20 years to ensure Canadian soldiers are well-equipped, well-trained and highly active." - Federal government quietly releases $490B military plan -- Friday, June 20, 2008 -- CBC News

[KrisYYZ]

A defining and proud moment in Canadian history. Chretien was right, Harper was wrong.

[Rinconmaniac]

Damn I miss Jean Chretian! He had some balls! Thank god he was in power.

[ricemuncherzilla]

@TVACdotCA that has never happened yet. our budget remains at $20 billion.

[vixengrrr]

Thank god for Chrétien and keeping us from this disaster that was the war in Iraq !!!

[bkingbasil]

To American we from quebec vancouver and Ontario HATE Harper worst prime minister in Canadian history

[movitmovit]

@xmobster5 in an effort to attempt to further legitimize the war. the more "allies" (lackeys) that he could get on board, the better.

chretien received a great deal of flak from the americans and their canadian conservative party collaborators for this decision. he had the support of many candians however.

[apple2018]

The best moment in Canadian history!

[blacklight019]

back when the liberal government was cool

[MrShnigglepuff]

@YanBrassard

Lol, TVACdotCA sure shut you up in a hurry.

[Halfno]

Holy shit he looks young. Definitively clear that leadership ages you.

[MrLCLM]

This was another one of Jean Chretien's lies. He said he would not support the Iraq war in Canada and then had one of his diplomats tell the US government the exact opposite. Go to google and type "canada iraq wikileaks". You may hate the stand Harper took here but he was far more truthful about it than Chretien.

[PMChampagne8]

harper looks like hes dressed for a funeral