Mission extended

The motion to extend the Afghanistan mission until 2009 passed by the slightest of margins, with 25 Liberal MPs voting in favor (and several more remaining conveniently absent from the House):

The House of Commons supported a Conservative motion to extend Canada's military mission to Afghanistan by two years, handing Stephen Harper a narrow victory with a 149-145 vote that came late last night.

The outcome of the vote was in doubt all evening, with MPs from all three opposition parties speaking out against the Tory plan to extend the Afghan mission through to 2009 without providing further details about what the extension would mean for the Canadian Forces.

[...]

Mr. Harper won the support of about 25 of the 101 Liberals eligible to vote. Several of the 308 MPs were not present for the vote. Official Opposition leader Bill Graham said Liberal MPs were free to vote their consciences based on what they heard from Mr. Harper.

Interim Liberal leader Bill Graham voted in favor of the motion, and so did leadership candidates Michael Ignatieff and Scott Brison.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at May 18, 2006 07:01 AM