Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed a 'support the troops' rally in Petawawa, Ont. Friday saying the detainee issue is sadly overshadowing military heroism in Afghanistan.
"Last month, nine soldiers from Petawawa were honoured for their work in Afghanistan, but sadly the attention has not been on them,'' he told the military community at CFB Petawawa.
"Those soldiers did not receive the attention they deserved because their story has been eclipsed by quarrels in the House of Commons with respect to allegations about detainees.
"I sincerely hope their story will come to light when the Governor General officially gives them their decorations.''
About 1,000 people, including soldiers and families of the military sporting red, joined the weekly Red Friday Rally in a symbolic show of support for the military. Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor and Gen. Rick Hillier also attended the rally.
Last week, Canada signed a re-written prisoner-transfer agreement with Afghanistan to ensure greater access to captured insurgents that Canadian soldiers turn over to local authorities.
The deal comes as the Tories try to defend themselves against allegations that detainees were tortured after being released from Canadian care.
Among provisions of the new deal is a guarantee that captured fighters can be interviewed in private without the intimidating presence of their Afghan jailers.
Last week during a trip to Afghanistan, Hillier said some troops were "pissed off" by the attention on the detainee issue.
During his speech Friday, Harper also paid tribute to the military community at CFB Petawawa, which has suffered the most losses in Afghanistan than any other base in Canada.
He then rejected calls from political foes who have demanded a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"You also know that our work has not ended, that we cannot just put down our weapons and hope for peace, that we can't set arbitrary deadlines and hope for the best.''
With files from The Canadian Press
