Mr. Speaker, last fall I asked the Prime Minister whether Canadian Forces in Iraq were painting targets for air strikes. The Prime Minister answered, “...the purpose of Canadian Forces in Iraq is to assist and advise....there is not a direct combat role.”
Again, I asked about ground forces targeting for air strikes, and again the Prime Minister said, “Canadian Forces involved in Iraq are not involved in combat.”
However, the Chief of the Defence Staff has confirmed that painting targets is a combat role. That mission has involved combat from the beginning.
Why did the Prime Minister mislead Parliament and mislead Canadians about sending Canadian Forces into combat in Iraq?