NDP Leader Jack Layton speaks to reporters after Question Period today:
Reporter: Mr. Layton, your political opponents have been calling you “Taliban Jack”. Now it looks like we've got “Taliban Barack Obama”, “Taliban Stephen Harper”. Are you getting some company on your side?
Layton: Well, I'm certainly pleased that the Prime Minister has come to accept the position we've advanced for quite some time now that you've got to get involved in negotiations with elements of this insurgency known broadly as the Taliban because it's not a conflict that can ever be won militarily. Now that George Bush is gone from the White House and Barack Obama is there, maybe these arguments have been a little more persuasive on our Prime Minister. That's a good thing. Now Canada should become very active in this process. I think we should use our reputation as peacemakers to be active through the UN and offer our capacities to help sides get together and to actually start talking.
Reporter: The Taliban were a nasty bunch when they were in power, a very oppressive regime. I doubt you want to come out on International Women's Day or the day after and say we should just talk to any of them. So how do you decide who you talk to and who you don't within that?
Layton: Well, what we've got to do, as we've said all along, is reach out to the moderate elements of the insurgency and draw them into discussions. It needs to a comprehensive process involving all the tools that are available for the UN. The UN has many different components that can help make this a success and we've said that Canada should be very active in trying to be involved in all those dimensions because we've got a great reputation and a great expertise here in Canada. I think we can help and we can help it to happen in a way that protects women's rights better than we saw under the previous regime.
Reporter: Are there moderate elements to the Taliban?
Layton: You know the insurgency is composed of a whole series of different components and elements. I mean this is a society that some have described as almost clan-based. It's very mountainous. There's these little communities of interest and focus. Each of them has their own political structure and dynamic and if you can begin to separate some of these organizations and groups and leaders from those that are on the most extreme end, then you can begin to weaken the insurgency through diplomacy, through negotiation. That's what we've always meant by a comprehensive approach to the pursuit of peace in Afghanistan and the accomplishment of some cease-fires area by area. I'm glad the Prime Minister is seeing the wisdom of this approach now. Now let's make sure Canada is a very active proponent of it and involved in it and bringing forward resources to help.
Reporter: Are you feeling vindicated in your approach?
Layton: Look, it's not a question of that. It's a question of being thankful that the Prime Minister is now seeing that the pursuit of peace in Afghanistan requires negotiation. We've been trying to convince him of that for some time. He's come to that conclusion. I welcome it. Let's make sure that Canada is very active using those skills and that reputation that we have as a country for being involved in peacemaking.
Geeze Jack, I thought we were Peacekeepers, not Peacemakers.
But I'm thankful that the the Leader of the NDP is now seeing that the pursuit of peacekeeping in Afghanistan requires peacemaking. We've been trying to convince him of that for some time. He's come to that conclusion. I welcome it.
What on earth are you talking about?
This has been what Jack Layton has been saying for years.
Jack Layton has been arguing for years about Canada's supposed “traditional” role as peacekeepers.
Conservatives have been arguing with Jack Layton that there must first be a peace to keep, and that our current role is to help create that peace.
Now, Jack Layton is saying that we need to get into the business of peacemaking…as though this is somehow a new revelation.
*Winks* Try to keep up eh?