Member of Parliament Larry Miller responded this morning to the Hub's request for comment on retired General Rick Hillier's social media posts about absences from Monday's House of Common's vote on Canada's mission in Iraq.

Mr. Miller called from Hanoi, Vietnam where he and other MPs, including fellow Conservative Blaine Calkins, Liberal David McGuinty and New Democrat Libby Davies are representing Canada at the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

"I have every respect for General Hillier," said Mr. Miller, but expressed the opinion that every Member of Parliament would have been in the House if it were possible. "This vote would have trumped any riding event, for example," Miller said. He cited serious health issues and commitments like the Aboriginal Affairs meeting in Whitehorse as some possible legitimate reasons for an MP's absence from an important vote.

Mr. Miller will be back in Canada after Easter.