WINNIPEG – Canada’s 12-year military mission to Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 158 Canadian soldiers, seven from Manitoba, ended Wednesday.
More than 40,000 Canadians took part in the mission and on Wednesday, the last 100 soldiers were withdrawn after a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Kabul.
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Winnipegger Cpl. Mike Seggie died fighting in the war-torn nation six years ago.
“It was a deliberate attack by the Taliban and the first shot killed three people,” said Mike’s father, Jim Seggie.
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His family is proud of his service.
“We are extremely proud of what our son accomplished in his short lifetime and we sure wish he’d be around today to see this,” said Seggie.
Many more were injured, including a former member of a Winnipeg-based battalion who was one of the first injured in 2002.
“It’s the highlight of my career. Some bad things happened over there, but it is the reason why we train. It is why we volunteer. It’s what soldiers do, so I’m very proud of what we accomplished over there,” said Sgt. Lorne Ford.
But the success of the mission is still being debated.
“The investment of money, material, of soldiers, of lives was probably worth it at the end of the day, but we won’t know until it all plays out in the future,” said James Fergusson, director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at the University of Manitoba.
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