p2pnet news view | P2P | Politics:- Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper has all but admitted when the election he called is over, he could be back on the opposition benches.

“Days after national survey numbers suggested a Conservative majority government was within reach, plummeting stock markets and a barrage of scathing opposition attacks over Harper’s handling of the economy have forced the PM into a defensive hold-on position,” says Sun Media.

“Acknowledging defeat is possible, Harper even crowned his rival by name,” says the story.

There will, “either be Prime Minister Dion, who will tackle our economic problems by increasing spending that we can’t afford and increasing taxes to pay for it, or our government, which will keep spending under control and keep taxes going down,” he’s quoted as stating.

The Parliamentary Budget Office today said the cost of the Afghan mission has soared from an estimated of $8 billion for a six-year mission to $18.1 billion.

“The real cost of the Afghan war will reach $20.7-billion before Canadian troops leave in 2011, according to an Ottawa-based foreign affairs organization, the Rideau Institute,” said the Globe and Mail, continuing:

“That tally includes not only the direct costs of deploying Canadian soldiers and equipment to Afghanistan, but the broader costs of health care, disability payments and the salaries of soldiers.”

But, with, “a soldier casualty count nearing 100,” and a, “growing chorus of world authorities declaring the war unwinnable,” Harper insisted the government will pay whatever price necessary to keep the effort on track, says the Sun Media.

In Ottawa, if the mission isn’t working now, “why are we continuing with three more years of the same?”- asked the NDP’s Paul Dewar. “If this isn’t the right mission after 2011, it’s not the right mission now.”

He says his party wants to bring our troops home from Afghanistan in six months, instead of spending $18.1 billion dollars on this war for three more years, says Dewar, adding:

“And I think Stephen Harper and Stephane Dion need to explain to Canadians why we’re continuing with a mission that isn’t working and that Canadians cannot afford.”

Make sure Harper loses.

Get out there and VOTE!!!

Sun Media – Harper admits he could lose election, October 9, 2008
Globe and Mail – Cost of Afghan war will reach $20.7-billion, group says, October 9, 2008
three more years of the same – Afghan war could cost Canada $28 billion, October 9, 2008

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 9:23 pm and is filed under P2P, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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