Canada Out of Afghanistan?

Jack Layton, at the 2006 convention in Quebéc City, said, (full text)

Friends, Canadians believe in peace. That doesn't mean we think Canada is an island. There is a time and a place for answering the call. Canadians are prepared to fight wars that are right for our country. We've done so proudly. That's why we're so proud of our veterans.

But on this mission, Stephen Harper is out of touch with ordinary Canadians.

Canadians are not warmongers. Canada does not commit its soldiers to war just because that will get our prime minister in good with an administration of a certain sort in Washington. Canada doesn't commit soldiers to war without clear goals. Canada doesn't commit our soldiers without a plan. Canada doesn't commit our soldiers without a fraction of the numbers or resources needed to make a difference. Canada doesn't commit our soldiers without knowing what victory is.

And Canada doesn't commit our soldiers without the certainty that their efforts are part of a carefully constructed and balanced mission that holds real prospects of making the world a safer place. Canada doesn't do those things.

But Paul Martin and Stephen Harper did in Afghanistan. Paul Martin and the Liberals are gone. My friends....the time is coming for Stephen Harper to go too.

The first Canadian troops arrived in November 2001, making it an even 10 years + a little bit. Finally, the Harper government listened. The Globe & Mail is reporting that Dec. 12th all troops have left ("aside from a few cleanup details").

Oh, wait a minute. Farther down in the same article:

Canada still has roughly 950 soldiers in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led mission to train the Afghan army. They are stationed at bases in Kabul and at satellite locations in the country’s north and west.

The Harper government abruptly agreed to take part in the training mission in the fall of 2010, after years of insisting that the military would leave Afghanistan entirely this year.

(still think your vote doesn't count?)