Home Page

How much is a Soldiers Life Worth?

Uncategorized Comments (0)

Is the life of a Newfoundland soldier worth less than one from Quebec?

It’s a question people are asking more and more in light of increased casualties coming out of Afghanistan and a potential spring election. For most of us there are certain lines we simply won’t cross. In my case for example, I’ll never tell my wife she looks like crap in that new dress she bought and I’ll never swear on my dear Mother’s life, not unless I’m damn sure I’m right.

There are those who say Harper, Hearn, Manning and the rest crossed one of those lines when they shafted Newfoundland and Labrador, maneuvered the province into an Efford like Atlantic Accord and kept it a secret until exposed by an independent analyst. They’re probably right, but that’s nothing to what the Harper government is said to be considering now.
While the war rages on in Afghanistan Stephen Harper is greedily eyeing the next election and a potential majority. The PM knows that in order to take a strangle hold on power he has to pick up ground in Quebec. This has led to the question, “Can it be done if Quebec troops are at risk on the front lines?”

The issue revolves around the Van Doos regiment based in Val Cartier, Quebec. While the regiment is scheduled to ship out to Afghanistan in August political observers are saying Harper may engineer an early election so he can win a majority, with Quebec’s help, before deploying them.

When did it become acceptable for a party to play politics with the lives of Canadian soldiers? If it is acceptable then we clearly have a Prime Minister who is the most callous and cold hearted SOB ever to disgrace Parliament Hill and that’s saying something.

Analysts and pollsters note that an upswing in casualties, something likely to happen this spring, will be reflected in the polls. It will also be a serious political liability for the Conservative government, especially in Quebec, if the bodies of fallen soldiers from that province are being shipped back.

Recently Col. Michel Drapeau, a respected military analyst, was asked for his thoughts on why the Quebec regiment hadn’t already been deployed. His response was that he was, “…surprised by it.”

Drapeau went on to say, “Either they weren’t ready for it, or it could simply be a political decision for whatever reason one could imagine.”
I don’t know about Col. Drapeau but I for one don’t want to imagine what that reason might be. I’m not immoral or underhanded enough to have the slightest idea what happens in the backrooms of a political party, especially the Conservative/PC/Reform/Alliance Party, but there are three things I know beyond doubt:

- Nobody in Quebec or elsewhere wants to see additional fatalities in Afghanistan, no matter where the soldiers come from.

- Voters will never condone a government playing political games with the lives of brave young soldiers.

- Newfoundlanders and Labradorians may not count for much in Ottawa but the lives of soldiers from this province are damn well worth as much as those from anywhere else, and a hell of a lot more than a few extra Conservative votes.

Is the life of a Newfoundland soldier worth less than one from Quebec?
I guess the answer depends on who you ask but I doubt anybody in Ottawa would be willing to ask the families of those Newfoundland and Labrador soldiers who have already made the ultimate sacrifice.

Mr. Harper had better be very careful of his actions in the days ahead. In politics perception is reality and if the Canadian public catches even a whiff of something underhanded surrounding troop deployments, (now I’ll cross a line), I’ll swear on my dear Mother’s life, winning a majority will be the least of Stephen Harper’s problems.

By Myles Higgins – Originally published in Current Magazine

@ May 10, 2007