Walter Natynczyk

Laura Payton obtains correspondence related to the Defence Minister’s helicopter ride.

NDP MP Matthew Kellway considers.

Two weeks ago, Peter MacKay mocked Jack Harris’ attempts to explain to reporters the NDP’s position on a complicated matter. Today, perhaps having learned from Mr. Harris’ mistake, the Defence Minister opted to walk away from reporters seeking to ask him about his use of military personnel to defend himself.

Within this story about efforts to deliver foreign aid in Haiti is an intriguing anecdote about Michaelle Jean’s role in the deployment of the Canadian Forces in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake.

Gen. Walter Natynczyk comments on Col. Pat Stogran’s previously stated concerns.

The Board of Inquiry report into the events of June 14, 2006 “detainee incident” is due to be released this afternoon.

Two weeks ago, Gen. Walter Natynczyk wrote to the Afghanistan committee in response to the testimony of Malgarai Ahmadshah. In that letter, he stated that “Canadian Forces do not transfer individuals for the purposes of gathering information.” This caught the interest of the NDP’s Paul Dewar and Jack Harris, who wrote Natynczyk seeking an explanation as to how this could be squared with an October 2007 transfer report.

A former diplomat told the Afghanistan committee this week that the first officials heard of specific allegations of torture was when the Globe and Mail reported as much in April 2007.

The opposition parties aren’t agreed as to whether Justice Frank Iacobucci, or seemingly any independent advisor or arbiter, should have a role in Parliament’s review of detainee documents. Meanwhile, Gen. Walter Natynczyk, the chief of the defence staff and a man the Defence Minister seems to trust, is asked if he’s worried about detainee documents being reviewed.

In his letter to the Afghanistan committee late last week, Gen. Walter Natynczyk wrote that “Canadian Forces do not transfer individuals for the purposes of gathering information.” In a letter sent today, the NDP’s Paul Dewar and Jack Harris have asked Gen. Natynczyk to clarify this point.

Gen. Walter Natynczyk has written to the special committee on Afghanistan to outline the military’s account of one of the events referenced last week by Malgarai Ahmadshah.

Gen. Walter Natynczyk’s statement on yesterday’s testimony at the special committee on Afghanistan.