Foreign Affairs Committee on Sept. 9th, 2014

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank Minister Baird, Minister Nicholson, General Lawson, Ambassador Bennett, and Mr. Boehm for being with us today to help shed some light on exactly what's happening in Iraq with ISIL and of course what role the Canadian Armed Forces will be playing. I think all of us are very disturbed, disgusted and revolted by the violence we've witnessed. I know that we over and over again want to express our condolences to all the families who have been victimized and terrorized by ISIL.

In follow up to some of the questions Mr. Harris asked, I think it's important to say from the standpoint of this whole conversation about mission creep that we're talking about a 30-day deployment. How will we at the end of 30 days determine success, define the mission mandate? We've laid out, Minister, some of the objectives, but how do we actually measure that and know whether or not we've achieved those objectives?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

As Minister Baird just indicated in answer to the previous question, we're going to assess what's actually happening on the ground. We will do this in cooperation with our allies. We'll want to see if we're making a difference. This is a very tragic situation, and we believe we have to do our part to assist in averting any more tragedy of this type.

I think it's reasonable to analyze after a relatively short period of time exactly what's happening on the ground and what we're doing. I think that's entirely appropriate.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

From the standpoint of the forces that we're putting on the ground, all in leadership positions, you talked about being there to assist and advise, not being in a combat role. Can we just tell Canadians how prepared the Canadian Armed Forces are to carry out this type of mission, what their experience, their expertise, is, and exactly what they're doing in collaboration with Iraqi security forces?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

As you know, Mr. Bezan, nobody has a better record in this world of getting the job done and stepping up to the plate when called upon than the members of our Canadian Armed Forces. As I indicated, these will be our special operation forces that we will be deploying in northern Iraq. They will come well equipped, well trained, to deal with the situation on the ground, but as you pointed out, and as we indicated in our opening comments, we are there for advising and for technical assistance. We are well placed to do that, and we'll do that in collaboration with our allies.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

How do the goals and objectives that we've laid out for the Canadian Armed Forces coincide with the other coalition partners that we're working with? I know that we are in charge of our forces on the ground, but what is the overall objective of the coalition? Exactly what is the overall impact that we believe this is going to have on the current situation as well as regional security?

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Obviously President Obama will be speaking to this in terms of the like-minded coalition that is emerging.

Obviously the United States is providing a substantial amount of assistance. The United Kingdom is providing humanitarian aid and is transporting arms and munitions from European partners to the Kurds. They have deployed six Tornados to the theatre and four Chinooks. France is providing humanitarian assistance and is willing to join the United States in airstrikes. They are shipping weapons to KRG authorities. Germany is providing humanitarian assistance like Canada has announced, that it would send arms to assist the KRG, and is committed to provide other non-lethal military assistance. It has deployed a small number of military officials to oversee delivery. I could go on and mention Australia, the Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Albania, the EU, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Norway, Sweden, and Japan.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

I know one of the concerns that we've heard from Canadians is the risk factor. The Prime Minister even alluded that no mission comes without risk. How are we going to mitigate that risk and the exposure to our forces?

If something does happen how do we deal with a medical emergency?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

You quite correctly pointed out, as has been pointed out by the Prime Minister , that there are no missions that do not come without risk. We will take very opportunity to minimize that risk at the same time getting the job done that we are deploying these members for. My understanding is this is in complete cooperation with our allies in terms of medical assistance, and anything of that particular type. That being said, these missions are carried out with considerable caution and care, and deliberate planning. They don't come without risk, but that being said, this is not a combat mission. This is for giving advice and technical assistance, and we'll proceed on that basis.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Chair, I will follow up with this question on the issue of mission creep. If things continue to escalate in Iraq with ISIL, do we foresee that there could be further military involvement?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Again, we have indicated, and the Prime Minister has indicated, that we are not putting boots on the ground. This is the role that we have designated for the Canadian Armed Forces and that's what we are going to continue, and again appropriately for caution's sake we will analyze exactly what has happened after approximately 30 days.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Since this announcement was made by Prime Minister Harper at the NATO summit in Wales, is this a NATO mission?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

It's not strictly a NATO mission. Certainly as you heard from the long list of countries that are cooperating with this, many of them are NATO partners, but some of them are not. This is an initiative by the Canadian government in cooperation with a number of allies, but it is not in and of itself a NATO mission.

[The Chair, Conservative, Dean Allison]

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bezan and Minister Nicholson.

We will now complete the first round with the Liberal Party, Mr. Garneau, for seven minutes please.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your remarks this morning.

At the outset I'd like to make it clear where my party stands on Iraq and ISIS. Yes, we believe definitely that we should provide more humanitarian aid for roughly the over one million Iraqis who have been displaced because of ISIS and who fled into refugee camps in northern Iraq. There's no question that northern Iraq is overwhelmed with these refugees. Having said that, if we don't want these refugee camps to become permanent fixtures on the landscape, then ISIS has to be dislodged and eventually defeated. ISIS is indeed a threat to world security and Canada can't just say it's not our problem, because it is our problem. For that reason, my party supports the limited military role recently proposed by the government of sending in a group of advisers in a non-combat advisory role for a set period of time. Having said that, we would like to have more detail and more clarity.

You have stated that Canadian soldiers will provide tactical advice to the Kurdish peshmerga. My first question is, can you confirm that no Canadian soldiers will be in the trenches on the front lines, or taking part on the ground in any offensive or defensive operations?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Again, I've indicated they are not taking a combat role. Their role will be strictly advice and technical assistance. Again, I think I've been very clear on that, Mr. Garneau. Again, we're not putting boots on the ground. We're not engaging in combat activity. Again, our role is very specific and very clear.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Thank you.

Sometime close to about the 30th day after arriving, the government's going to re-evaluate the Canadian role and decide on one of the following things. Either the job is done and we're leaving, or we're going to extend our involvement in the same role, or we're going to extend our involvement but change the role.

I'd like to ask a fairly direct question here, and I would appreciate a yes or a no. If any changes are planned to the Canadian military role being discussed today will the government undertake to bring them to Parliament?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Again, the government has reached out, as you know, to members of the opposition to keep them informed about this engagement and indeed about all our activities in that area. I believe we will continue to keep other people, including the opposition, informed as to what we're doing.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

I think, Mr. Garneau, we are very committed to continuing an open dialogue with parliamentarians and all parties to communicate what we're doing. We've offered briefings, and we'll continue to do that. At this time the mission is what it is. Should it evolve or be extended, obviously we'll remain in close contact. I think we've shown good faith in not just bringing the critics to Iraq and having this offering and volunteering to have this committee sit early before Parliament resumes. Parliament will be back on Monday, and there will obviously be an opportunity on a daily basis to discuss these issues. There will be other opportunities on opposition days and in take-note debates. We certainly are committed to continuing to engage with the opposition so that it's very clear what we're doing and what we're not doing.

Obviously this is explicitly not a combat mission. Undoubtedly we will continue to do more on the humanitarian front and security front, and we are certainly committed to working constructively with all members of Parliament including the opposition.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Thank you, Ministers. I'll take that as a yes.

You said that the Chief of Defence Staff will be in charge of our soldiers at all times.

Can you explain to us how our soldiers will work with the chain of command of the Iraqis, Kurds and our coalition allies, especially the U.S. troops?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

General Lawson may have comments on this. Again, as I indicated in response to an earlier question, the Canadian Forces will remain under Canadian command. As we do whenever we are involved with these types of activities, we work in close collaboration with our allies. Again, we are there to assist the people who are on the ground in their efforts to fight this terrorist group. Again, we will do that on a regular basis.

I don't know if you have anything to add, Tom.

[Gen Thomas Lawson]

The only thing I would add, Mr. Chairman, is that the lead elements have been warmly received by Iraqi forces and by the Iraqi government, and we'll be working in close cooperation and collaboration with the Americans, who have quite a background of activity in Iraq.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

This is a very complex situation. Why did you decide to go with a 30-day period? Set up and integration take time. It seems to me that an initial 30-day period is too short for an operation of such multinational scope and complexity.

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Things change very quickly in that part of the world as you know, Mr. Garneau. Again, this is an ongoing crisis that changes very quickly as you know. I think it's entirely appropriate that on a regular basis we analyze exactly what it is we're doing and how we're doing on the ground, so I appreciate the Prime Minister indicating that after 30 days we will assess what it is we're doing, because we know how quickly things change in that part of the world, and this is an important mission for our Canadian Armed Forces and our special operations forces. So, yes, we will watch this very carefully on a timely basis, and we will assess it after 30 days.

[John Baird, Conservative, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

We would certainly welcome any contributions you have to that assessment whether they be on the security side, the defence side, or the development side.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Thank you.

My final question is on what makes our troops especially well suited to this kind of operation. I'm not an army officer, but I suspect that our experience in Afghanistan with similar terrain allows us to provide that kind of expertise. Is that the assessment?