Justin Trudeau to pull fighter jets, keep other military planes in ISIS fight

The Liberal government will withdraw Canada's fighter jets from the fightagainst ISIS, but CBC News has learned that not all military aircraftwill be pulled from the mission in Iraq and Syria.

The Department of National Defence said Thursdaythat while the CF-18s will be withdrawn from the U.S.-led coalition combat mission, other planes two Auroras, which are surveillance aircraft,two transport planes and a Polarisin-flight refuelling plane will still fly alongside our allies.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeauhas faced criticism at home for withdrawing the jets, but Canada'sinternational allies have not asked the government toreconsider its position,accordingto a senior adviser toTrudeau.

Trudeau sat down for a bilateral meeting withBritish Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday in London.

The adviser, who spoke to reporters on background and oncondition that he not be named, said there was "absolutely no pressurefor Canada to continue its contribution to the bombing mission."

Meanwhile, Cameron made a strong appeal to his ownParliament today to extend the mission of British fighter jets into Syria.

In making his case, Cameron told members of Parliament that"youcan't subcontract out security."

Leaders have been 'satisfied'

At various meetings over the past couple of weeks, Trudeau hasdiscussed the mission with world leaders.He has been asked to sometimes explain Canada's position, but theadviser said other leaders have been "satisfied" with the responsefrom the prime minister.

Canada will not be part of the bombing mission, but will increase the number of military trainers on theground.

There is a strong sense from other allies that training is a "usefulcontribution," said the adviser.

When Trudeau was asked yesterday in London by reporters if he would begiving his allies any sense of when more trainers would arrive orhow many Canada would contribute, the prime minister would only say there's a continuing conversation with allies to see how and where Canada can bemost useful.

Trudeau also made the point that of the 60 countries thatmake up the coalition, none of them are doing everything.

Speaking to reporters in Malta Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Stphane Dionsaid his government was asking for a bit of patience while it figures out Canada's role going forward, and so far its message had been well-received.

"We want to be more effective in the coalition," he said, adding that the allies Canada is consulting with "are very open to giving us their suggestions about what Canada may do other than two per cent of the [airstrikes.]"

'We have to step it up'

After the deadly attacks in Paris, interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrosecalled on the Liberal government to "immediately" reverse its decision to pull fighter jets from the U.S.-led bombing mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which claimed responsibility for the attacks.

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"The fight against ISIS requires a strong humanitarian response, but also amilitary response,"Ambrose said earlier this month. "It's important that we remain resolute and support our allies."

James Bezan, the Conservative defence critic, made the case again on CBC News Network'sPower & Politicson Wednesday, saying thatpulling Canadianfighter jets out of the fight against ISIS is a "weak response."

"ISIS is ramping up its activities. We need to be there, as Canada always has been historically, standing shoulder to shoulder and doing the heavy lifting as best as we possibly can," he said.

"If we're going to actually degrade and defeat ISIS, we have to have a more robust military intervention to stop the humanitarian crisis, to stop the genocide that's taking place by ISIS terrorists. We have to step it up, not step back."

U.K. ramps up fight against ISIS

9 years ago

Duration 8:07

British High Commissioner to Canada Howard Drake discusses David Cameron's push to extend the U.K.'s airstrike campaign to Syria

Before Trudeau's meeting with Cameron, Howard Drake, the British high commissioner to Canada, told Power & Politicson Monday that it's for Canada to decide how it will contribute to the battle against ISIS.

"We've made very clear that it is for each country, for each participant in the coalition, to indicate and make clear where it thinks it can make the best contribution, and that's what Prime Minister Trudeau has said he's going to do," Drake said.

"We happen to think, and other allies happen to think ... that bombing is a very essential part of this to protect our interests."