Just two days away from returning safely home, Pvt. Kevin McKay was on patrol in Afghanistan on Thursday.  In an instant his life ended.  Instead of returning home to a party, he will be returned to his family for a funeral.  He is the 144th Canadian to die on this mission.

The father of this brave young Canadian has looked past his own grief to call on our government to stay the course in Afghanistan.  He’s calling on the government not to set an end date but to set obtainable objectives and stay until they’re finished.  He’s calling for the objective to be the training of the Afghan army and police.

Pvt McKay’s father is a deputy fire chief in Toronto.  Firefighters in Toronto and along the Highway Of Heroes all understand the cost of this war, they have been a strong presence on every overpass between Trenton and Toronto every time Canadian soldiers are repatriated.  I understand the cost of this war.  I weep privately for our fallen and then join the firefighters on the bridges. More >

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