All this leaves me wondering if the CFB Gagetown spraying of toxic chemicals has been the impetus that has resulted in such a desperate measure by Harper and his Conservative government. A huge majority, if not all, of the information gathered against the government by the victims has come from the government's own documents via CAIRS, or Access to Information. It certainly has been an embarrassment to the government, in spite of their attempts to buy their way out of it by offering a paltry $20,000 to veterans who were able to prove they were there during the spraying of toxic chemicals. Don't forget, mind you, that they have only considered soldiers who were there during the American spraying of Agent Orange in 1966 and 1967 for this 'compensation'. They have yet to deal with the over 1 billion grams of poison used by our Canadian government over soldiers and civilians.

Whatever happened to Harper's promise of an open and transparent government? It appears that his promise omitted the word 'opaque'. Makes you kind of wonder, doesn't it? Perhaps the following definitions will help refresh the Prime Minister's memory:

Definition of Open: Having no means of closing or barring, without restrictions as to who may participate: an open competition; an open session.

Definition of Transparent: Having the property of transmitting rays of light through its substance so that bodies situated beyond or behind can be distinctly seen. Easily seen through, recognized, or detected: transparent excuses.

Definition of Opaque: Not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.

Hard to understand; not clear or lucid; obscure: The problem remains opaque despite explanations.

Sheila Woods