Cpl Brent Poland

Just issued by the Department of National Defence:

Family Statement: Statement from the Family of Corporal Brent Poland
 

“Brent was our dear son, brother, uncle, nephew and cousin.

Brent graduated with a History degree from York University and a Media Arts degree from Ryerson University.

In his thirties, Brent chose to follow his heart and his passion. He enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces where he volunteered for a career as an infantry soldier.

He thrived in his chosen field, and was excited about taking part in this deployment to Afghanistan. He believed in this mission and he would not for a moment want his death to be the cause of any wavering will or political opportunism concerning the worthiness of the mission of Afghanistan.

He told us before he left that he saw this tour as his chance to help in the effort to bring peace and stability for the people of Afghanistan. He was inspired by the thought that his efforts might help to ensure that little girls had the chance to go to school and women might be given an opportunity to thrive in an environment free of brutal oppression.

Brent was a good, strong and loving man. He was a proud soldier and proud Canadian. Our family is devastated by his death, but take comfort knowing that he died doing what he wanted to do, in an honourable cause and in the service of country.

We are so very proud of Brent's service and willingness to endure adversity to accomplish the goals of his heart. He is in every sense our hero and he will always be.

The family would also like to thank all of our dear friends and family who have given us such tremendous support in these early days of our grief”

Polls: SES on voting intentions and best PM

With all the Vimy stuff, I’ve been involved in over the last few days, I’ve neglected the release of some new polling data from SES Research.

On Sunday, SES released their latest voting intentions survey. It’s a mixed bag for the two main parties. Depending on which slice of data you want to look at, the news is marginally good or marginally bad for both the Conservatives and the Liberals.

Here’s the big picture nationally

“For those parties you would consider voting for federally, could you please rank your top current local preferences?”

  1. Conservative – 36 % (up 3 percentage points since SES most recent poll on Feb. 8)
  2. Liberal – 33 % (no change since last poll)
  3. NDP – 16 % (-1)
  4. BQ – 10% (no change)
  5. Green – 6 % (-1)

For this poll, 1,000 Canadians were surveyed between March 31 and April 5. The pollster says the results are accurate to within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

So, things are moving up for the Tories but, according to SES President Nik Nanos, “the Conservatives are still short of forming a majority government.”

Meanwhile, the Liberals are staying put and haven’t budged from where they were in the last federal election.  So some might say that, despite near universal poor reviews from the pundit class in Ottawa on his performance, Stephane Dion is not hurting his party. On the other hand, Dion doesn’t seem to be helping his party.

But Nanos says there is trouble for the Liberals in Quebec:

However, the federal budget, Quebec provincial election results and the new advertising scandal arrest has put downward pressure on Liberal support in Quebec. The Liberals have dropped nine points in Quebec in the past 60 days. Research conducted by SES has shown that in the past there is a direct relationship between federal Liberal support in Quebec and any new revelations regarding the sponsorship scandal. It is too early to tell whether the Liberal drop is short term or not.

Here’s the numbers SES has for Quebec only:

  1. BQ – 37 % (-2 percentage points)
  2. Conservatives – 28 % (+8)
  3. Liberal – 18% (-9)
  4. NDP – 13% (+5)
  5. Green – 4% (-2)

For this poll, 244 Quebecers were surveyed. The pollster says it is accurate to within 6.4 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

And finally, there’s some new data from SES today, which surveys Canadians as to their opinion of which federal leader would make the best Prime Minister. Here’s the results:

  1. Stephen Harper 42%
  2. Stephane Dion 17%
  3. Jack Layton 16%
  4. Gilles Duceppe 7%
  5. Elizabeth May 4%
  6. None of them 7%
  7. Unsure 6%

This poll was done between March 31 and April 5. One thousand Canadians were asked this “read and rotate” question — respondents are read a list of the leaders and asked to select one, and the order in which the respondent hears the choices is rotated — and the pollster says the results were accurate to within 3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

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PM on Afghanistan

Last evening, the Prime Minister finished a busy day with a speech to a dinner of veterans. The speech was in Verlinghem, France, near the Belgian border. Joining the veterans at the dinner were several dignitaries. Here are the ones I spotted in the crowd: Former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and her husband John Ralston Saul, General Rick Hillier, LGen. Andrew Leslie, Government House Leader Peter Van Loan, House of Commons Speaker Peter Milliken, Public Works Minister Michael Fortier, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Rona Ambrose, Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson Senator Joseph Day, Senator Norman Atkins, Senator Colin Kenny, Liberal Party Deputy Leader Michael Ignatieff, Conservative MP Rob Anders, Conservative MP Bev Shipley, NDP MP Joe Comartin, and Bloc Quebecois MP Roger Gaudet.

The Prime Minister was informed of the deaths of the six soldiers in Afghanistan minutes before he was to give the speech. He confirmed those deaths in his speech with the following remarks, added at the last minute:

Sadly, today has been a difficult day in Afghanistan. We’ve learned that an incident has claimed the lives of six Canadian soldiers and injured a number of others. Our hearts ache for them and their families. And I know as we gather here on Easter Sunday. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Today’s events once more remind us of the sacrifices that our men and women in uniform continue to make to defend against those who threaten freedom, democracy and human rights.

Later in his speech, he came back to the theme of linking the sacrifices of 90 years ago to the Afghanistan mission:

New challenges face us today — global terrorism, rogue regimes, nuclear proliferation, threats as unpredictable for our generation as the two world wars were for those who had to confront them. We still live in a dangerous world. And, as Prime Minister, my thoughts these days are never far from Afghanistan where a new generation of Canadian soldiers carry Colonel McCrae’s torch.

….

For these men and women, the terrain of Kandahar province today looks as desolate and dangerous as Flanders Field did 90 years ago. But those who wear the Maple Leaf on their uniform move forward, against tyranny and fear with the same courage and determination that  you did in your time and that the heroes of Vimy Ridge did before you.

Easter Sunday in Vimy

We are outside the church of St. Martin-de-Vimy. The Prime Minister and his family have just arrived for Easter Sunday church service.

It is a cool misty morning but the sun is up and it is clear.

The Prime Minister was joined by about two dozen veterans and other dignitaries at the service. Among those in attendance at the church service were former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and her husband John Ralston Saul;  Senator Colin Kenney, Senator Norman Atkins; Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson; Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn; Speaker of the House Peter Milliken; and Liberal deputy leader Michael Ignatieff.