NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair was asking Harper if he intended to extend the Afghanistan mission past 2014 after a Postmedia News report Wednesday said U.S officials had asked Canadian special forces to stay past the withdrawal date.
The prime minister responded the NDP has a pacifistic ideology “regardless of circumstances” and his government would make the right decision for Afghanistan’s security.
“In 1939, the NDP leader didn’t even want to support the fight against Hitler,” Harper said, before being drowned out by cat calls.
NDP MPs gently reminded Harper from across the aisle that the NDP didn’t come into existence until 1961, birthed by a union between the socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the Canadian Labour Congress.
“CCF, NDP, same difference,” Harper responded curtly.
“I guess we can start talking about Reform Party policies,” Mulcair replied, to the delight of the opposition benches.
Thursday’s session of question period also brought up the specter of a debate on abortion.
Conservative Kitchener MP Stephen Woodworth introduced a motion Thursday to create a committee to look into the definition of when human life begins. Currently, human life is defined by Canadian law as beginning when a baby leaves the mother’s birth canal.
Pro-choice advocates say the motion is intended as a backdoor approach to banning abortion.
Harper has repeatedly said his government would not reopen the abortion debate and stated he would be voting against Woodworth’s motion.
The House of Commons will not vote on the motion until at least June.
Harper, who runs a notoriously tight caucus, was criticized by Mulcair for allowing the motion to occur.
Harper said that any MP can table a private member’s bill if they want.
Original Article
Source: national post
Author: Josh Visser
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