If this Conservative government–I’m talking to you Stockwell Day, Treasury Board president and erstwhile chair of the Cabinet committee on Afstan–cannot do something soon about this massive stupidity…The invaluable Matthew Fisher of Postmedia News reports:

Treasury Board rules could heighten risk in Afghanistan

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The lives of Canadian soldiers could be put at greater risk because of Treasury Board regulations that prevent Task Force Kandahar from continuing to employ its best cultural advisers.

About half a dozen of Canada’s top advisers, who are ethnic Afghans with Canadian citizenship, have been told that they cannot be rehired when their current contracts expire. They are being let go because of government rules that state that if they work for more than three years for any federal department they must be offered permanent employment in the public service.

The often highly educated advisers attend top level meetings between NATO, Canadian and Afghan officials and regularly accompany Canadian troops on dangerous combat missions to provide on-the-spot political and cultural guidance.

The issue has not only infuriated the advisers, who want to continue working with Canadian troops, but has frustrated the officers whose soldiers work with the cultural advisers alongside Afghan forces…

Meanwhile the CF’s last combat rotation is in place:

Afghanistan: The countdown is on
Canada’s war in Kandahar in final phase

Canada’s war in Kandahar formally entered its final phase Saturday with the transfer of command to a battle group led by 1st battalion, the Royal 22nd Regiment…

Mark
Ottawa