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Canada’s war in Afghanistan far from a ’lost cause,’ says governor general

Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean has wrapped up a two-day whirlwind tour of Afghanistan, where she’s encouraging Canadian soldiers to stay the course in helping better the lives of the Afghan people.
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Governor General Michaelle Jean visits the war memorial in the Canadian compound at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean has wrapped up a two-day whirlwind tour of Afghanistan, where she’s encouraging Canadian soldiers to stay the course in helping better the lives of the Afghan people.

Jean, honorary commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces, says she’s saddened that there is any debate at all over whether Canada should be helping the country’s less fortunate.

She says the suggestion it’s a “lost cause” hurts her deeply.

Jean was moved to tears on a number of occasions, most notably when visiting the war memorial at Kandahar Airfield and when she talked to a nine-year-old Afghan girl who lost a leg in a bomb blast.

During her visit, which was kept secret for security reasons, she told soldiers the good work they are doing in Afghanistan would not be forgotten.

The governor-general says it’s important that Canadians understand the value of the work both the military and civilians are doing.