The federal government is taking new steps to better sell the mission in Afghanistan to Canadians.
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon announced on Wednesday a number of new online tools to provide information about the work Canada is doing there.
Downloadable videos and photos and an interactive map are among the "e-tools" the government has added to the main mission website afghanistan.gc.ca.
Cannon said the move is intended to fulfill one of the recommendations of John Manley's report on Afghanistan. That report recommended the government provide the public with "franker and more frequent reporting on events in Afghanistan and Canadian efforts there."
Cannon, who recently returned from a visit to Afghanistan, said that is the goal of the updated website.
"We're committed to giving as much information as possible to Canadians about the Afghan mission," he told CTV's Canada AM on Wednesday.
The goal of the website, he said, is to keep Canadians informed not just on military progress in Afghanistan, but also on diplomatic and development work funded by Ottawa, such as the signature Dahla Dam project, polio eradication efforts and education initiatives.
"You can go to the different projects, bring them up, see that the benchmark is there but also at the same time witness the progress that is being made not only by our troops but by our civilians that are on-site," Cannon said.
The site will also provide updates on Canada's six priorities:
- security, especially strengthening the Afghan National Army
- improving basic services such as education and healthcare
- meeting humanitarian needs ath the most critical times
- improved border management and co-operation with Pakistan
- helping develop a more-capable, self reliant government
- supporting Afghan-led reconciliation initiatives
