Canada Will Not Extend Afghanistan Mission Past 2014
Image: Flickr
Canada will quit Afghanistan in early 2014, once its current NATO training mission is completed.
At a NATO summit in Chicago on Monday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Canada will instead turn to assisting with building long-term stability and economic development in the country.
Harper pledged to help pay for Afghanistan’s security forces, but told reporters he wished the country could withdraw from their military obligations, “earlier,” saying, “we’re doing it as early as is feasible.”
Canada has served as a military presence in Afghanistan since the start of the NATO mission in 2001, a war for political stability with few quantifiable gains.
Conrad Black, On The Record
Image: Dealzoid
Former media baron, and convicted felon, Conrad Black, sat down with CBC’s Peter Mansbridge for an exclusive one-on-one interview on Monday, and said, among other things, that he would be keen to restore his Canadian citizenship. The interview was Black’s first since leaving a Florida prison on May 4, where he served 42 months on charges of fraud and obstruction of justice.
Black says his comeback is, “already underway,” and gave Mansbridge a detailed outline of his timeline to restore his citizenship.
“I always intended to take my citizenship back when that was appropriate,” said Black. “I would have done it long ago if we hadn’t been interrupted by this nonsense in the United States.”
Yes. Nonsense.
Blue Jay J.P. Arencibia named AL Player of the Week
Toronto Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending May 20, a first-time honour for both himself and the team, in that position.
The 26-year-old batted .360, and tied for the American League-lead with four home runs, seven runs scored, and 10 RBIs in six games last week. Arencibia also hit home runs in three consecutive games for the first time in his career, from May 16 to 18, against the New York Yankees, and New York Mets.
Arencibia, who is currently hitting .256 on the season, is the first Blue Jay to receive this honour since last August, when pitching ace Ricky Romero was named for his weekly record of 2-0, and an ERA of 1.69.
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Joanna Adams is the online and social media editor for Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at†@nowstarringTO.
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