Stephen Harper

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the United States and our other allies have taken a range of actions in Iraq and Syria. It is well known what all of those are. Obviously, they are seeking our assistance wherever we could be helpful, and we are obviously examining what options are most appropriate for this country.

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the government has made no such decision. However, as we have clearly said since we first came to power, any such decision will be brought before the House for a debate and a vote.

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the government could terminate present deployments at any moment. We obviously have not done that. We are looking at next steps. We will obviously look carefully at steps that we believe would not leave us there in a quagmire for years. That is something all governments are going to avoid.

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Once again, Mr. Speaker, let me just lay out how we see the situation. I think it is widely understood. We have at the present time the establishment of a quasi-state, an Islamic caliphate, stretching from Aleppo almost to Baghdad, up until very recently operating entirely in the open, planning attacks, not just genocide against large populations in the region but planning attacks against this country.

We will work with our allies on a counterterrorism operation to get us to the point where this organization does not have the capacity to launch those kinds of attacks against us.

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to correct that statement. This action was initiated by President Obama and our allies.

This is an action undertaken at the initiative of President Obama involving not just their allies but a broad consensus of the international community. It is a very serious matter. We cannot go out and start throwing around timelines that we are not aware of. We simply have to examine what is in front of us and what we can do. We will come to the House of Commons with a proposal on that matter, and I look forward to a debate and vote on that.

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the opposition leader is basically saying that the government is taking too long to act, that it is not doing enough. The NDP's position changes from one question to the next.

The government is carefully considering its actions, obviously including the ability we have before us and our capacities to contribute. We will carefully consider these things. If they require a vote in Parliament, we will do that, but we will make sure we carefully undertake our actions and take the actions that are in the best interests of the Canadian people and in accord with our international responsibilities.

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think it is really the power of the Prime Minister of Canada to determine how long international events will take place or not take place.

The establishment, as I have said repeatedly before, of an Islamic caliphate that is beheading children, selling women as slaves, committing acts of genocide against minorities and captured POWs, and planning security attacks on this country is not acceptable, and the government will act. We will act with our allies to make sure those capacities are degraded in a way that they will not continue to be a threat to this country.

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the government's position on these matters since we came to office is unprecedented and has also been clear. Whenever we enter a mission that involves combat, including aerial combat, we present it to the House of Commons for a debate and for a vote. We are proud of that record. We are very proud of the actions undertaken by the Canadian Forces.

This has a broad range of support from the international community, including not just Conservatives but Liberals and social democrats the world over, and I think we should put partisanship aside in this chamber as well.

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we deployed forces to northern Iraq to help minorities withstand genocide. We have halted the advance of the Islamic State, and that is very significant.

Let me just repeat that. The people in northern Iraq are facing an act of genocide from the forces of the Islamic State. That is why allies, including Canada, responded. We have gone there to assist the Peshmerga in that fight. They have halted the advance of ISIL in that part of the country.

This is very important work, and we should all be thankful for the Canadian Forces and our allies for doing this.

[Foreign Affairs, September 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, as members know, the government has already indicated that we have sent some assistance to the Government of Iraq in concert with our allies some weeks ago. As our allies undertake a range of actions, we are contemplating next steps on how we can best be helpful.

Let me be very clear. I believe that the mission undertaken by our allies—not just western allies, but a range of allies in the international community—are necessary actions and noble actions. When we think something is necessary and noble, we do not sit back and say only other people should do it. The Canadian way is to do our part.