Canadian Federal Cabinet Shuffle Supports Strong Commitment to Afghanistan
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered a cabinet shuffle dominated by Afghanistan yesterday, putting into place stronger ministerial "communicators" to sell Canada's military and humanitarian mission in Afghanistan. Harper has moved whom he considers his best performers to two key international roles: Peter MacKay will assume the role of Minister of Defense and Maxime Bernier will become Minister of Foreign Affairs. In all 10 cabinet ministers were shifted.
"The Afghan mission remains Canada's most important military and foreign affairs commitment in the world," Harper told reporters in interviews. "We know there are challenges there. At the same time, the United Nations wants us there and we made a commitment to our allies and the Afghan people."
Retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie, an often quoted expert on the Canadian military, said MacKay will also have to manage growing issues within the military. "The military is in crisis on spending, it's in crisis on having enough instructors to train new recruits," said MacKenzie. "The military has some serious issues that have to be dealt with.
The two ministers will sell the mission to the country. Their task is to forge a Canadian consensus on the long-term role of the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. Maxime Bernier's entrée into global diplomacy is a key part of Conservative efforts to improve their standing in Quebec, with the minister's smooth communication style in French seen as essential.
This consensus is critical for the minority Conservative minority government that needs parliamentary approval to extend the military component of the mission. Many Canadians also questioning the Conservatives' decision to boost military spending to $20 billion a year, with $20 billion more for ships, aircraft and tanks, without issuing a coherent defense policy or materially boosting foreign aid.
To sum up, with these two seasoned politicians in place, government strategists are now hoping to better communicate its Afghan policy. "It's a file on which the government simply has to communicate at its best," Conservative strategist Philippe Gervais said. At the same time, he conceded that the Afghan mission, where 66 Canadian soldiers have already been killed, faces "challenges."
Previous Related Story: Pakistani and Afghan Presidents Attend a Peace "jirga" in Kabul
Source: Security International's North American Correspondent
