House of Commons Hansard #188 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was environment.
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, in October, the Prime Minister said in this House that Canadian Forces would participate in bombing “where—and only where—Canada has the clear support of the government of the country...”.
Why has the Prime Minister completely reversed his position? What is it based on?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, there are two things.
First of all, increasingly ISIL has sought safe haven refuge in Syria, which we obviously want to prevent. On top of that, our allies have been conducting operations against ISIL in Syria—some of our allies—over the past several months, with some success.
We think those operations are important. We think the mission is important. For the very fact that this mission is so important to the security of this country, we intend to fully contribute.
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, ISIL actually started in Syria.
In September, when I explicitly asked the Prime Minister whether our soldiers would be engaging in combat and whether they would be involved in the targeting of air strikes, his answer to Canadians was a resounding no.
Why does the Prime Minister think that Canadians can now trust him, when he betrayed their trust months ago?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, the government has done exactly what it said it would do.
That is why the vast majority of Canadians support the mission. The so-called Islamic State represents a threat not only to the region but also to the entire world, including Canada. The actions and words of this organization make it clear that the government must take action, and this government plans to take action. No one understands why the opposition would do nothing to protect Canadians.
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, how many soldiers, in total, will participate in the new mission?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, there will be as many air force and special forces members as there are now.
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, let me once again be very clear about what we are dealing with here.
This group, the so-called Islamic State, represents a direct threat not just to the region. It represents a threat to the world. By word and by deed, it represents a threat to this country. We have made important deployments. Obviously those deployments could easily be changed if that were necessary.
Our goal here is to deal with the threat to this country. We will deal with it as long as it is there. We will not stop dealing with it before that.
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, we have ground troops targeting for air strikes. We have aircraft strafing and bombing. We have lost a Canadian soldier behind enemy lines. Our forces are being shot at.
Why does the Prime Minister still deny that our soldiers are in combat?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, of course, we have air forces that are in combat. We have not had a soldier killed behind enemy lines or, for that matter, killed by enemy forces. That is a reality.
These are the things we are doing to protect this country and to assist the Iraqis in doing a better job of safeguarding their own country.
I do not know what the policy is on the other side. I hear all kinds of reasons why we should provide humanitarian aid, which we are doing. I hear no compelling argument on the other side as to why we should completely ignore the very real threat to this country, which Canadians know exists.
This government understands it, and we are working with the entire international community, which understands it, to deal with it.
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, while today's motion asks for an extension of 12 months, the government has said our engagement in Syria and Iraq is for the longer term.
What is the government's planning horizon for our combat role?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, once again, the motion today asks to approve the government's decision to extend the mission for up to 12 months. Obviously, as we go forward, we will continue to evaluate the nature of the threat to this country and the nature of the actions that ourselves and our allies think are necessary.
What we are putting before the House today we believe is the minimum necessary to contribute in a robust way to a threat that is very real for this country and at the same time to try and reinforce the ability of Iraqi forces to carry their own—
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's new motion does not specifically exclude the deployment of Canadian special forces into Syria. Will our special forces be allowed to operate in Syria?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, in the motion the government has no intention of having our special forces operate in Syria. They will continue operating in northern Iraq, assisting peshmerga forces there. However, as I made clear earlier, we will extend our air strike campaign against ISIL to include Syrian as well as Iraqi territory.
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, can the Prime Minister explain just how Canada will communicate with the Assad regime in order to ensure that Canada's fighter jets will not be targeted by Syria's air defence system?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, our allies have been doing this for months now and have been dealing with these difficulties. The reality is that the Assad regime is not willing, nor does it have the capacity, to combat the Islamic State in Syria.
To prevent the Islamic State from seeking refuge in Syria, we believe it is necessary to work with our allies to mitigate this threat.
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, on October 3, the Prime Minister told the House:
We will strike ISIL where —and only where—Canada has the clear support of the government of the country in question.
At present, this is only true in Iraq. If it were to become the case in Syria, then we will participate in air strikes against ISIL in that country also.
Today he said that his government would not be seeking the express consent of the Syrian government for air strikes. Could the Minister of National Defence tell us on what legal basis Canada will be dropping bombs in Syria?
Rob Nicholson ConservativeMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, we made it clear that we are not seeking the consent of the Assad regime. However, we have indicated very clearly that ISIL cannot have a safe haven in Syria. Therefore, we will conduct our missions on the same basis as our colleagues, the Americans and our allies, on the basis that ISIL is a threat to our colleagues, our allies and to Canada itself.
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the question was, on what legal basis?
One cannot hide behind someone else's actions. This is about Canada. What is the Prime Minister of Canada basing himself on? What is the legal authority for bombing in that country?
Stephen Harper ConservativePrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, as our allies have indicated, they are taking necessary and proportionate military action in Syria on the basis that the government of Syria is unwilling or unable to prevent ISIL from staging operations and conducting attacks there, including ultimately attacks that include this country as a target. That is the legal basis on which we are proceeding.
The practical basis is that we are determined to do whatever we can to degrade ISIL and to eliminate the threat it poses to this country, and Canadians support us doing that.
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Mr. Speaker, we were supposed to advise and assist Iraqi troops for a month. The mission was then expanded to include air strikes for six months with soldiers at the front, on the front line.
Now the Conservatives are talking about an 18-month mission in Iraq and Syria, which would make Canada an ally to Assad. This is really not the role Canada should be playing in solving this crisis.
Why not do more to support Turkey, our ally, and help the 1.5 million refugees get across the border?
Jason Kenney ConservativeMinister of National Defence and Minister for Multiculturalism
Mr. Speaker, we have already done that. In fact, I was in Turkey two years ago to announce our support for Syrian refugees. In Turkey, we were one of the first countries to do so. We are making significant investments to help displaced people and refugees from the crisis in Syria.
We are carrying out this military mission against the so-called Islamic State because it poses a threat to Canada, Canadians and the entire world. We have a duty to act with our allies to confront this threat to global security.
Rosane Doré Lefebvre NDP Alfred-Pellan, QC
Mr. Speaker, another issue on which Canadians are divided is Conservative Bill C-51.
The Prime Minister surely did not foresee that the dissent would spread even into his own ranks, with the Conservative member for Wellington—Halton Hills daring to admit that more parliamentary oversight of intelligence and security activities is needed.
Will other Conservative members wake up and insist that the Prime Minister finally listen to the criticism of his flawed anti-terrorism bill?
Steven Blaney ConservativeMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my hon. colleague that the oversight model used by our Canadian Security Intelligence Service is the envy of the world because it is it so rigorous and provides unlimited access to all the data.
