Saturday March 1, 2003
Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday March 1, 2003
Sea King Helicopter Crash
The Sea King helicopter was about seven metres in the air when it suddenly dropped on the flight deck of the HMCS Iroquois and rolled on its side. The picture was reminiscent of anything that’s old and tired, and dying, being expected to carry out tasks that it no longer can handle. It just keeled over, like the last dinosaur.
Each time Jean Chrétien learns of another Sea King mishap that threatens the lives of our soldiers, does he hang his head in shame that he was the one who quashed the deal to replace these aircraft when he came to power in 1993? He must be embarrassed, at the very least.
Yesterday’s crash on the Iroquois forced the destroyer to turn back to Halifax from its mission to the Gulf of Oman where it was to take up command of eight warships involved in Operation Apollo, patrolling against illicit arms traders in Afghanistan.
This is a disgrace to the entire nation — it must certainly be for Chrétien. (CP)