Canada extends Mali flights until middle of February

Tories receive cross-party consensus to keep transport plane in service

OTTAWA — France will continue using a Canadian military transport to ferry troops and equipment into Mali until the middle of next month, the government confirmed Thursday.

The move continues Canada’s indirect involvement in the conflict that been raging as French and Malian troops battle Islamist militants who have taken over the northern half of the country.

It also comes amid continuing debate over whether Mali should be a priority — or whether Canada should avoid getting drawn in further.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced last week that Canada was contribut- ing one C-17 Globemaster aircraft for a week to help move French forces into Mali where they are engaged in fierce fighting with Islamic militants linked to al-Qaida.

Hours before that commitment was set to expire, Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird confirmed the C-17 would remain in the area until Feb. 15. MacKay’s office said Canadian military C17s have so far conducted six flights between France and Bamako, the capital of Mali, and transported more than 128 tonnes of equipment.

The decision to extend the C-17 mission came after the Harper government reached out to the opposition to ensure-cross-party “consensus” on keeping the Canadian military aircraft in the region.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair saud he spoke to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird on Thursday, and “we’re agreed that the C-17 is going to be in service for a few weeks.”

Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae has also indicated his party is in favour of Canada continuing to play a role in the conflict.

Canada has faced inter- national pressure to maintain — if not increase — its role in Mali, with troop-contributing nations France and Nigeria as well as the head of the African Union calling on Canada for help.

While acknowledging the seriousness of the threat, Harper has ruled out any “direct” military mission.

Insiders have indicated “war fatigue” within the Canadian political and public spheres, federal budget cuts, the fact the UN Security Council agreed to an African-led intervention, and questions over whether the conflict is of strategic importance to Canada have all contributed to a reluctance to get more involved.

A Commons committee will hold public hearings on the issue once Parliament returns next week, Mulcair said, even as he noted: “Mr. Harper has made it quite clear that he is extremely reticent about any direct Canadian military involvement, and we share that concern.”

Canada has provided Mali with hundreds of millions of dollars in aid over the past 40 years.