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Prime Minister Harper announces plans for Canada to perform airstrikes, support roles

Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa October 1, 2014. REUTERS/Chris Wattie (CANADA - Tags: POLITICS)

On Friday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke in the House of Commons to unveil his government’s plan to send up to six CF-18 fighters, one refueling tanker and two surveillance aircrafts to join several other countries in the U.S. led airstrikes over Iraq.

"Today we’re bringing forward a motion asking this House to confirm its confidence for a government decision to join our allies and partners…in launching airstrikes against ISIL," Harper said.

"Let me be clear on the objectives of this intervention. We intend to significantly degrade the capabilities of ISIL. Specifically its ability to either engage in military movements of scale or to operate bases in the open.

"One could say that while the mission is evidently necessary, we don’t have to be the ones doing it because others will. But Mr. Speaker, throughout our history that has never been the Canadian way to do only the most easy and praiseworthy of actions and to leave the tough things for others."

Harper added that Canada will only be involved in airstrikes over Iraq — for now — but kept the door open to strikes over Syria if their government makes the request.

The government’s motion, which is to be voted on in Parliament early next week, calls on MPs to support the Government’s decision to contribute Canadian military assets to the fight against ISIS for a period of up to six months.

It also specifies that the government will not deploy troops in ground combat operations.

The prime minister also hinted that more humanitarian aid and further counter-terrorism measures to protect Canadians in Canada may be in the offing.

[ Related: Trudeau makes case for non-combat role in Iraq ahead of Commons debate ]

The opposition parties had the opportunity to respond, in the House of Commons, immediately after Harper’s speech.

"The prime minister hasn’t outlined a broad strategic blueprint for the mission. He can’t even answer specific questions about the breadth or cost of Canada’s military deployment," NDP leader Thomas Mulcair said,

"How much will this mission cost? What are the rules of engagement? What is our exit strategy? No answer. No answer. No answer.

"Canada’s first contribution should be to use every diplomatic, humanitarian and financial resource at our disposal to respond to the overwhelming human tragedy unfolding on the ground and strengthen political institutions in both [Syria and Iraq]."

[ Related: Politics may be hindering Canadian Muslim effort to combat radicalization ]

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said his party would vote against the motion.

"Unlike the prime minister, Liberals believe Canada can make a more helpful contribution to the international effort to ISIL than a few aging warplanes," Trudeau said to groans of Conservative MPs.

"We can be resourceful. there are significant, substantial non-combat roles that Canada can play. And some, we can play better than many or perhaps any of our allies. Whether they are strategic airlift, training or medical support. We have the capabilities to meaningfully assist in a non-combat roll a well-defined international mission.

"The Liberal Party of Canada cannot and will not support this prime minister’s motion to go to war in Iraq."