Visit to Afghanistan

His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, completed his first visit abroad to Afghanistan.

The Governor General, along with General Walt Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff, visited the Kandahar military base to meet with and show his solidarity to Canadian troops and to pay respect to their fallen comrades.

The visit concluded with a return to Kandahar to exchange with Canadians.

"I am so impressed by the unwavering conviction of the men and women of the Canadian Forces and by your commitment to helping the Afghan people."

During his visit, the Governor General presented the scroll and pennant of the Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation to the 1st Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, from Petawawa, Ontario, for courageous and professional execution of duty in Afghanistan.

His Excellency visited the operating base in the district of Panjwaii, where he met with deployed Canadian soldiers.

His Excellency witnessed Canada’s efforts in promoting the rule of law through the training and mentoring of the Afghan National Security Forces. On site, he also discussed with representatives from the Afghan National Army, who work closely with the Canadian Forces in this sector.

In Kandahar Province, where the technology of modern communications is scarce, the shura is still the cornerstone of community organization.

The Governor General participated in a shura. Convened by the provincial governor, a district leader or a village malik, the shura is the forum where officials announce government activities and encourage people to get involved in development projects.

He visited the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team to gain a first-hand understanding of the work conducted by Canadians military and civilians.

"As commander-in-chief, I have been looking forward to my first visit to Afghanistan. I have been anxious to meet you and to hear your thoughts on how things are going on the ground. This is such an important time in the history of this country, as the Afghan people continue the struggle to overcome years of distress and uncertainty."

This short visit allowed him to extend his support to the Canadian soldiers who are deployed to protect and help the Afghan population. It also provided His Excellency the opportunity to meet with representatives from Canadian and Afghan civil societies, and to grasp the scope of reconstruction efforts carried out within the country.

The Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation was created on July 3, 2002, to recognize outstanding service by units of the Canadian Forces in extremely hazardous circumstances in an active theatre of operations.