ALL EYES ON OTTAWA AS ISIS TIGHTENS ITS GRIP
ISIS fighters have pushed their way toward the Syrian border with Turkey, displacing Kurds from the Turkish town of Suruc. Canada could soon be sending CF-18s into a combat mission in Iraq to fight the terrorist group,
OTTAWA • Canada could soon be sending its military into a combat mission in Iraq over the objections of both opposition parties, as Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau issued broad hints Thursday his party, like the New Democratic Party, won’t be on-side with the government.
In a speech delivered at a conference hosted by Canada 2020, a “progressive” thinktank, Mr. Trudeau emphasized this country must play a role in the battle against Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) extremists.
The Liberal leader spoke in favour of Canada helping in a variety of ways: non-combat training, airlift transport, medical aid and humanitarian aid for refugees.
But he said Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not yet explained why a combat mission involving CF-18 fighter
He has not made the case for it. He hasn’t even tried
bombers should be part of the Canadian response to the crisis. Mr. Harper is expected to announce Friday how Canada will upgrade its contribution to the coalition against ISIS.
Mr. Trudeau accused the prime minister of “playing politics” and refusing to address key questions such as: How has Canada offered to help the U.S. military? How long would Canada’s combat mission last? What difference would Canada’s CF-18s make to the coalition’s objectives?
“Mr. Harper is intent on taking Canada to war in Iraq. He needs to justify that. He has not made the case for it. He hasn’t even tried,” he said.
“Canada has asked a lot of our men and women in uniform over the last decade. And too often they have returned home only to be let down. If we are to ask more of them now, we had better have a good reason.”
The Liberal leader departed from the formality of his speech with an off-colour joke when questioned by the event moderator on whether his party will support a combat mission.
“Why aren’t we talking more about the kind of humanitarian aid that Canada can and must be engaged in?” he asked those at the conference.
“Rather than, you know, trying to whip out our CF-18s and show them how big they are. It just doesn’t work like that in Canada.”
Later at the Canada 2020 conference, Jason Kenney, the federal employment minister, said he was “disturbed” by Mr. Trudeau’s wisecrack.
“To make a juvenile highschool joke about the use of the Royal Canadian Air Force in a global coalition to combat a genocidal terrorist organization says a great deal about Mr. Trudeau’s judgment,” he said.
The Liberal leader said that unlike previous prime ministers, Mr. Harper has made no effort to build a non-partisan case for war.
“Instead, he dares us to oppose his war, staking out not moral territory but political territory,” he said.
“Indeed, it seems like he has decided that he actually wants the opposition parties to vote against this military adventure of his. Which is completely contrary, I think, to what Canadians want to see.”
Jason MacDonald, Mr. Harper’s director of communications, said in an email Canada is already making “significant” contributions to humanitarian aid in the Middle East.
“Mr. Trudeau’s comments are disrespectful of the Canadian Armed Forces and make light of a serious issue,” he said of the Liberal leader’s joke.
For nearly a month, Canada has acted in a non-combat advisory role, committing 69 military advisors, of whom 26 are in Iraq. That could change quickly if Mr. Harper’s cabinet agrees to send CF-18s.
So far, the Liberals have supported the mission because it was non-combat, but Tom Mulcair’s NDP stood firmly opposed because it was too vague and appeared, to the NDP, to be creeping toward a full-scale combat operation.
Mr. Harper has promised if he commits Canadian military to combat, there will be a debate and vote in the House of Commons.
However, with Mr. Trudeau’s latest hints, it now appears likely the government will send Canadians into combat without the support of either the Liberals or New Democrats.