Trudeau set to reveal details of anti-ISIS mission
[Prime Minister Trudeau speaks in Parliament/Reuters]
As Justin Trudeau prepares to reveal his plan to change Canada’s role in the fight against ISIS, he’s hoping Canadians will focus on more than just fighter jets.
On Monday morning at 10:30 ET Trudeau will be joined in Ottawa by the ministers of National Defence, Global Affairs and International Development to reveal the new strategy. That invite list indicates Trudeau will roll out plans to beef up Canada’s contribution to humanitarian and international development efforts too.
There’s been no sign, however, that the Prime Minister will back down from his campaign pledge to pull Canada’s six CF-18 fighter jets from the American-led coalition bombing efforts against ISIS. Instead, he says, Canada will find ways to contribute more effectively, even suggesting Canada is doing “more than its part" in the war against ISIS.
"We’re looking at how we can best be helpful,” Trudeau told reporters on his first international trip as Prime Minister back in November.
His government has spent the months since then grappling with precisely what that would look like, all while the Conservatives continue to press him to keep the CF-18s in the fight.
Some hints about new plan
Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion has indicated Canada could take on a role helping ensure stability in other countries affected by ISIS, specifically naming Lebanon and Jordan. He did not, however, specify what form that help could take.
Trudeau has indicated he wants to increase the number of Canadian Forces members helping train local ground troops to fight ISIS. Right now, Canada has about 70 trainers in Iraq.
Canada will also leave surveillance and refuelling aircraft to help with the coalition bombing efforts, as CBC News reported in November.
