An association that speaks for all Canadian Legion branches, including Aldergrove, has taken issue with the U.S. president for downplaying the role Canada and other NATO allies played in Afghanistan.
A Jan. 30 letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney from the leadership of The Royal Canadian Legion praised his “inspiring” remarks at an international meeting of world leaders in Davos, Switzerland, and condemned Donald Trump’s comments at the same venue as “completely unacceptable” and “hurtful untruths.”
When a Carney speech at Davos generated headlines around the world for saying Canada and other “middle powers” need to chart an independent path, it “provided a clear and important statement in support of the essential values that Canadians – and all who believe in freedom – hold dear,” the letter said.
During a Fox television news interview in Davos, Trump suggested the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries that responded to a U.S. request for support in Afghanistan had avoided the frontlines.
“They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this or that,” Trump said. “And they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines.”
In response, the legion letter said it was “appalled to hear the President of the United States share his view that troops from other NATO countries had played an inconsequential role in Afghanistan.”
More than 40,000 Canadian troops were deployed to Afghanistan, and 158 Canadian Armed Forces members gave their lives, the letter noted.
“It is completely unacceptable that the outstanding service and selfless sacrifice of so many allied troops, including Canadians, was trivialized,” the letter said.
“Especially given they were part of the response to the 9/11 attacks on America. We cannot stay silent when hurtful untruths are shared on a global scale.”
Signed by Berkley Lawrence, Dominion President of The Royal Canadian Legion, as well as Larry Murray, Grand President, the letter added it is “not the norm for us to comment on speeches by national leaders, however the legion shares the values you have articulated, and we believe it is critical that we show our clear support at this time.”
“We thank you for your inspiring words, which truly met the moment. Please know that The Royal Canadian Legion stands ready to support Canada and Canadians across this country as we navigate these troubled waters together.”
In Langley, the co-founder of a memorial to Canadians killed in Afghanistan earlier responded by saying Canadians “stepped up” in Afghanistan.
Michael Pratt, also a Township councillor, did not directly comment on the Trump remarks, saying only that “politicians are going to say and do what they have to, but the reality and the indisputable facts are that 40,000 Canadians served in Afghanistan, 158 never came home, including two men from Langley. Canada stepped up and Canadians stepped up when a NATO member needed us, and we’re part of NATO and we’ll do it again if we have to.”