Canadian Opposition Parties Support War on Libya: Unanimous Vote in House of Commons

By Global Research
Global Research, March 22, 2011
Global and Mail 22 March 2011

Url of this article:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/canadian-opposition-parties-support-war-on-libya-unanimous-vote-in-house-of-commons/23857

As Canadian fighter jets flew over hostile Libyan air space, all four political parties put aside pre-election posturing for a few hours Monday to support Canada’s role in the mission to contain Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi.

“We are compelled to intervene, both [as] a moral duty and by duty [to] NATO and the United Nations,” Defence Minister Peter MacKay told the House of Commons Monday, opening debate on a motion supporting the deployment. The Liberals, NDP and Bloc Québécois unanimously supported the Conservative motion.

That support came, however, with conditions. NDP Leader Jack Layton called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to involve members of the opposition in overseeing the operation.

“It’s essential to draw a lesson from the war in Afghanistan and give parliamentarians a surveillance and oversight role,” he told the Commons.

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