Afghan war cost causes Canada uproar

OTTAWA, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Days before Canada's federal election, there is a political uproar over the country's inability to provide a cost for the country's combat role in Afghanistan.

Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page issued a report in Ottawa Thursday saying the country will have spent $18.1 billion on its NATO role in Afghanistan by 2011, but went on to say that is probably low, the Canwest News Service reported Friday.

Page criticized a lack of "transparency" in various government departments' refusal to give his office figures, the report said.

Using the $18.1 billion figure, each Canadian household would pay $1,500 to support the military intervention, Page's report said.

All five political party leaders are on the campaign trail before Tuesday's election, and three of them blamed Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government for the uncertain figures.

However, Page's report noted it was a previous Liberal government that committed to the mission in 2002, the report said.

Canada has some 2,500 troops in Afghanistan in combat roles. They are committed to at least 2009.