Top soldier acknowledges handling of Afghan memorial ‘hit a nerve;’ vows access

TORONTO — Canada’s top soldier acknowledges that last week’s unveiling of the Kandahar memorial without the families of dead soldiers present hit a nerve.

Gen. Jonathan Vance, chief of the defence staff, tells The Canadian Press no insult or disrespect was intended.

Decisions around the opening and severely restricted access to the site have come under attack from Afghan war veterans and families of those killed there.