Three candidates in the recent Aghan election were killed prior to the Voting Day. It certainly gives a new meaning to running for office.
{The bodies of three members of Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) kidnapped in Balkh province during voting on Saturday have been found.
Taliban militants had vowed to disrupt the vote for the lower houses of parliament.
The discovery of the bodies means at least 17 people were killed on election day in about 445 violent incidents.}
Blessedly here in Canada candidates in any election be it Municipal to Federal level , do not run the risk of being killed for what they believe. As for Voters in Canada we are currently a nation with Voter empathy. No matter elections in Canada are safe.
In Afghanistan the terror of the taliban, telling people that if they were caught with an ink stained finger they would be executed.
On the other hand. Some voters scrubbed the ink off in order to vote again and in some cases again. Corruption and cheating is expected in Afghanistan. Both the UN and the USA said an acceptable amount of corruption and cheating is the norm. If you think Canadian Ballots are long and complicated, Afghanis had 2500 candidates for 249 seats. Now thats’ a lot.
Here are a couple of links with different views of this election
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/100918/world/international_us_afghanistan_election_fraud
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/100918/world/international_us_afghanistan_election
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/09/18/afghanistan-parliamentary-vote.html
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/09/15/afghanistan-voter-registration-cards.html
Further sadness for two families of our UK Allies, killed during the voting;
Lt Col Carr-Smith added: "It is with great sadness I must inform you that a soldier from the Queen's Royal Lancers and a soldier from the Royal Engineers were killed this afternoon west of Lashkar Gah.
"They were attached to the 1st Battalion Scots Guards Battlegroup. The soldiers were part of a ground domination patrol when they were struck by an explosion.
"They will be greatly missed and their sacrifice will not be forgotten. We will remember them."
On the better news front for Canadian Veterans injured in the current war this long awaited decision to increase payment for injuries, employment and especially loss of a limb.
The federal government announced greater financial support for some of Canada's wounded soldiers.
The boost in funding will help the most seriously injured soldiers as well as those at the junior rank of private whose injuries may prevent them gaining promotions and therefore larger salaries.
A senior government official told CBC News the announcement is meant to better meet the needs of "a new generation of soldiers."
The announcement will revise existing programs.
One deals with earnings replacement. This is the program that provides cash to subsidize or replace what soldiers could have earned if they had not been disabled and limited in their ability to be promoted to a higher rank.
Another program deals with catastrophic injury. This provides benefits to veterans who have suffered the most serious injuries, such as lost limbs.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/09/18/soldiers-benefits.html#ixzz0zufIbwKS
This Proud e mail from an Island Mother: Betty Mahar
There were 5 CDS commendations awarded this year .Last Week in Winnipeg presentations were given .I am very proud to say that 2 of the 5 are from PEI . Matt McCormack from Souris Line Road is a Dr. in the forces and Heather Ewing nee Mahar. Major in logistics from Souris West.
Support our Troops and their families
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
