With the death toll of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan reaching 40, a blunt and public statement came out of Ottawa calling for Canada's allies to do more. 

"We are collectively trying to pressure other countries to commit more troops.  We probably need a battle group or two extra in Afghanistan," Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor told CTV's Question Period on Sunday.

A "battle group or two" means about 2,000 soldiers being sent to southern Afghanistan.  O'Connor noted that Poland has recently agreed to contribute 1,000 troops to the mission, and suggested it's time for other nations to start pulling their weight.

He said he recently called together defence ministers from other NATO nations that are also working in southern Afghanistan.

"I held a meeting with them for an hour and a half," O'Connor said. "We talked about our common challenges and I encouraged them all to pressure other members of NATO, and to pressure Pakistan to do more to stop the seepage across their border.

"So we, the countries in the south, are working collectively now to try and improve our situation."

O'Connor is also calling on European countries with troops serving in Afghanistan to remove restrictions from their soldiers. Some countries like Germany have put limits on where their troops can be sent and the type of work they can do. Some countries won't even allow their soldiers to go out at night.

"Thirty-six countries are in Afghanistan," said O'Connor. "Some sent troops with caveats ... let's look at more assistance where it is needed."

In addition to pressuring other nations to commit troops to Afghanistan, O'Connor said he has called on the local government to put more soldiers in the most volatile province.

Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale said O'Connor's comments verify concerns Liberals have been raising for a number of weeks.

"We have asked about the rotation and whether the other nations of NATO are playing their full role alongside Canada," Goodale told Question Period.  "It appears to us they are not and what Mr. O'Connor has said today would obviously indicate he is coming around to that point of view."

NATO commander issues warning

While O'Connor made his plea public, NATO's top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David Richards, also warned Sunday that Afghans would begin to support the Taliban again if they didn't see visible improvements within the next six months.

"They will say, 'We do not want the Taliban but then we would rather have the austere and unpleasant life that might involve than another five years of fighting'," said Richards.

The British officer, who commands 32,000 troops, said the coalition forces need to utilize the winter for reconstruction.

"If we collectively ... do not exploit this winter to start achieving concrete and visible improvement," then some 70 percent of Afghans could switch sides, Richards told The Associated Press.

Richards called the recent successful fighting in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand "an opportunity" to gain the support of the people.

"We have created an opportunity ... If we do not take advantage of this, then you can pour an additional 10,000 troops next year and we would not succeed because we would have lost by then the consent of the people."

He also called for 2,500 additional troops to form a reserve battalion to help quicken the pace of reconstruction and development efforts.

Casualties

With 40 soldiers and one diplomat killed, and more than 150 wounded, Canada has paid a high price in Afghanistan. In Panjwaii alone, 13 soldiers have been killed since Sept. 1.

Britain, by comparison, has also lost 40 soldiers in Afghanistan, however by the end of October they will have 4,700 troops serving in the country compared to Canada's 2,300.

The United States has lost 341 soldiers in combat in Afghanistan, but in a grim report published last month, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found that Canada has accounted for 43 per cent of NATO coalition casualties in Afghanistan since February.

The most recent Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan is Trooper Mark Andrew Wilson, 39, killed during a pre-dawn patrol Saturday when either a roadside bomb or a landmine detonated. Wilson was inside a Nyala armoured jeep, which should have kept him safe.

A ramp ceremony was held for Wilson in Afghanistan on Sunday night to allow his fellow soldiers to pay tribute and say goodbye before his body was flown to Canada. His remains will arrive at CFB Trenton on Wednesday.

Wilson is the father of two boys. They live with his wife in Sudbury, Ont. In London, Ont., yellow ribbons mark the home of Wilson's parents. Wilson will be buried in London this coming week with a military funeral.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed his "heartfelt condolences" to Wilson's family in a statement Sunday.

"We will honour the memory of Trooper Wilson by remaining steadfast and determined to help Afghans achieve lasting stability and security," said Harper.

Opposition Leader Bill Graham also expressed condolences to the family saying, "the Liberal Party remains steadfast in our support for the Canadian Forces personnel stationed in Afghanistan as they work toward the noble goal of rebuilding this troubled region."

"All Canadians share your sorrow," Governor General Michaelle Jean told the family in a statement.
 
The Taliban are responsible for 78 suicide attacks across Afghanistan this year, reports NATO. As a result of the suicide attacks, 142 Afghan civilians, 40 Afghan security forces and 13 international troops have been killed.

With a report from CTV's Graham Richardson and files from The Associated Press