Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff made the following statement today
regarding the deaths of four Canadian soldiers and Canadian journalist
Michelle Lang in Afghanistan:

“It is with profound sadness that
we mourn the loss of four brave Canadian soldiers and a Canadian
journalist in Afghanistan.  Their lives were taken by an insurgent bomb
blast during a community security patrol near the Dand District in
Kandahar, while joined on patrol by Calgary Herald journalist Michelle
Lang on assignment in Afghanistan.

Canadian Forces soldiers Sgt.
George Miok of Edmonton, Cpl. Zachery McCormack of Edmonton, Sgt. Kirk Taylor of
Yarmouth and Pte. Garrett Chidley of Cambridge gave their lives in the attack.

This tragic event reminds us
of the considerable sacrifices Canadians make every day in the pursuit
of peace and security in this war-torn region. Their service
exemplifies the very best in courage and selflessness, and their deaths
will not be forgotten as our mission to build a safe and secure country
for the people of Afghanistan continues.

Among the Canadian
soldiers and civilians whose lives have been claimed over the course of
this mission, we have now also lost the first Canadian journalist in
Afghanistan.  Michelle Lang risked her life to keep Canadians informed
about our mission and the contributions of all the men and women who
serve there.  With her passing, we reflect on the importance of a free
press as a foundation of democracy – and as one of the ideals guiding
our mission to safeguard a fragile democracy in Afghanistan.

On
behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our Parliamentary caucus, I
offer my deepest condolences to the families and friends of these brave
soldiers, and to the entire Canadian Forces family.  Our thoughts are
also with Ms. Lang’s friends, loved ones and colleagues across the
Canadian press who mourn her passing.  To the injured civilians and
soldiers also caught in this blast, we wish them a swift recovery.