- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 160
Harper’s Government seems to be set on self-destruct mode.
Harper's staff makes major gaffe on Afghanistan
Updated Thu. May. 29 2008 7:20 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Reporters travelling with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on his European tour were wrongly told Thursday that Italy was removing restrictions on what their soldiers can do in Afghanistan.
CTV's Roger Smith said the gaffe occurred just before the prime minister's plane was to leave Rome for London on Thursday morning.
"The prime minister's press secretary, Carolyn Stewart Olsen, came back and told us that after having dinner with Stephen Harper last night Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had just issued a statement saying Italy would remove the caveat that restricts what their soldiers can do in Afghanistan," said Smith.
"That was big news because the Italian soldiers... are restricted to mainly non-combat operations and Canada's been pressing for sometime to get countries like Italy to remove these caveats so they can help out more."
After hearing the developments, journalists, including Smith, reported the breaking news.
But then, after the plane departed, Stewart alerted reporters that she had got it wrong.
She said there was a wire story saying that Berlusconi was reconsidering the caveats but he hadn't made any decisions.
"The prime minister's staff was so anxious to have the story corrected that they allowed us to go up to the front of the plane and use the prime minister's secured satellite phone to call our news desks," said Smith.
"It seems the prime minister's staff was just in some unseemly haste to claim some sort of diplomatic triumph that they rushed out this news without checking the facts and it's a big embarrassment."
Harper is now in London where he will deliver a speech to the Chamber of Commerce.
He will also hold a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Queen.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080528/Harper_london_080529/20080529?hub=TopStories
Harper's staff makes major gaffe on Afghanistan
Updated Thu. May. 29 2008 7:20 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Reporters travelling with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on his European tour were wrongly told Thursday that Italy was removing restrictions on what their soldiers can do in Afghanistan.
CTV's Roger Smith said the gaffe occurred just before the prime minister's plane was to leave Rome for London on Thursday morning.
"The prime minister's press secretary, Carolyn Stewart Olsen, came back and told us that after having dinner with Stephen Harper last night Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had just issued a statement saying Italy would remove the caveat that restricts what their soldiers can do in Afghanistan," said Smith.
"That was big news because the Italian soldiers... are restricted to mainly non-combat operations and Canada's been pressing for sometime to get countries like Italy to remove these caveats so they can help out more."
After hearing the developments, journalists, including Smith, reported the breaking news.
But then, after the plane departed, Stewart alerted reporters that she had got it wrong.
She said there was a wire story saying that Berlusconi was reconsidering the caveats but he hadn't made any decisions.
"The prime minister's staff was so anxious to have the story corrected that they allowed us to go up to the front of the plane and use the prime minister's secured satellite phone to call our news desks," said Smith.
"It seems the prime minister's staff was just in some unseemly haste to claim some sort of diplomatic triumph that they rushed out this news without checking the facts and it's a big embarrassment."
Harper is now in London where he will deliver a speech to the Chamber of Commerce.
He will also hold a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Queen.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080528/Harper_london_080529/20080529?hub=TopStories