The Fox News television host who mocked Canadian troops in Afghanistan has apologized for what he says was a satire.
"The March 17th episode of Red Eye included a segment discussing Canada's plan for a 'synchronized break,' which was in no way an attempt to make light of troop efforts," Greg Gutfeld, host of the segment, told the Canwest News Service on Monday in an e-mailed statement.
"However, I realize that my words may have been misunderstood. It was not my intent to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military, and for that I apologize. Red Eye is a satirical take on the news, in which all topics are addressed in a lighthearted, humourous and ridiculous manner."
As the bodies of Canada's four latest war dead returned from Afghanistan on Monday, parliamentarians from across the political spectrum denounced Fox News for airing a panel discussion that mocked Canada's contribution to the NATO-led mission.
The Fox item has provoked a storm of outrage among Canadians who were offended by the broadcast, which originally aired overnight last week, but has since taken on a new life on the Internet.
"We want an apology from this so-called comedian and his panel. These are despicable, hurtful and ignorant comments. No one is laughing and they owe Canada, and more importantly the families of each one of our fallen heroes, an apology for their ill-informed mistakes," Dan Dugas, the spokesman for Defence Minister Peter MacKay, told Canwest News Service on Monday.
MacKay, along with Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean, was to attend the repatriation ceremony Monday at CFB Trenton, Ont., where the families of Canada's four latest Afghanistan fatalities were to meet the flag-draped coffins of their fallen loved ones.
Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre called the Fox comments disgraceful but also noted that he wasn't surprised such "garbage" aired on the network.
Coderre said as immigration minister after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the U.S. he had to deal with inaccurate claims made by Fox about how the 911 hijackers had come from Canada.
He said the Canadian public should set the network straight by emailing Fox about their views on the segment.
Coderre also said it is also important when something like this happens it is important for the defence minister to defend military personnel. "I'm a bit disappointed it took Peter MacKay that long to react," he said. "He should have been on it much sooner."
NDP defence critic Dawn Black said the segment "seems to me to be a sad commentary from a pathetic news organization." She added that it shows that many Americans are unaware of the Canadian lives lost in Afghanistan and the billions of dollars the country has spent on the mission.
The Fox program Red Eye mocked comments from Canada's commander of land forces, Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, who said on March 10 that the military would need a year to recover from its Afghan deployment because of the wear and tear on its equipment and personnel. Canada has lost 116 soldiers and one diplomat since the war in Afghanistan began in 2002, including the four soldiers who died Friday in two separate bomb blasts in Kandahar province.
In the item, Gutfeld suggested the Canadian military will use the year to "do some yoga, paint some landscapes and run on the beach."
"Isn't this the perfect time to invade this ridiculous country," Gutfeld continued. "They have no army."
Gutfeld suggested that Canada is taking advantage of its position as a neighbour to the United States, "the most powerful nation in the universe."
The segment also mocked the RCMP for its "red uniforms" and horses.
Red Eye airs weekdays at 3 a.m. on the Fox Network, which is accused of a strong right-wing bias in the U.S.
The segment attracted the attention of readers of Defence Watch, the blog by Citizen military affairs reporter David Pugliese, who wrote about the segment in this post last week.
