Tories bar critics from NATO talks

Say NATO made last-minute decision to limit size of delegation but alliance spokesperson denies it

Thu Mar 27 2008

Allan Woods, Ottawa Bureau

OTTAWA–The Conservatives have yanked invitations to opposition MPs to attend next week's NATO summit in Bucharest, saying officials with the military alliance made a last-minute decision to limit the size of the Canadian delegation.

But a NATO spokesperson in Brussels said yesterday he had not heard of any mandatory reductions in the size of official delegations.

One day after the offer was first extended to opposition parties, the government yesterday sent an email, obtained by the Star, that the invitation to travel with the official Canadian delegation next week had been rescinded.

The summit, which is expected to result in the extension of Canada's mission in Afghanistan, opens April 2 in Romania's capital.

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