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AnarticlebypostedbytheCBCstatesthatCanadaisthinkingdeeplyaboutdeploying
fighterjetstojointheUSledeffortagainstISISmilitants.Canadasmilitarycontributionstothe
ongoingwartodateinclude69specialforcestoIraqtoadviseinthefightagainstISIS.Ina
recentinterview,StephenHarperhintedatincreasedactioninCanadasinvolvement,saying
thatmuchdamagecanbedonetotheIslamicmilitantgroupfromtheairalone.Ameetingwith
HarperandhisCabinetisexpectedtotakeplacebeforeanythingisdecided.Intheincreasing
possibilityoffighterjetsbeingdeployedandspecialforcesalreadyinIraq,Canada(andmore
specifically,thefederalgovernment)isnotdemonstratingCanadianvaluesofsafety,
democracy,andeconomicsecurity.
SendingmilitaryforcestohelpeliminateISIScouldbeapossiblesafetyrisk.With
threatsofattacksalreadybeingsenttoCanada,relationsbetweenthetwopartiesonlygrow
worse.The69specialforcesCanadasentareputinfurtherdangerandtheprobabilityofa
counterattackincreases.
LackofparliamentaryinvolvementonthetopicdoesnotreflecttheCanadianvalueof
democracy.TheHouseofCommonsheldanemergencydebateinresponsetoISIS,with
lacklusterattendanceasofmidnight,LiberalLeaderJustinTrudeauwasabsentfromthe
debate,aswerePrimeMinisterStephenHarper,ForeignAffairsMinisterJohnBairdand
DefenceMinisterRobNicholson.Withoutdebateanddiscussionhappeninginparliament,
Canadiandemocracydoesnotfunctionproperlyandtheelectedpartyactsonitsownaccord.
AidinginthefightagainstISISbringsmajorpotentialrisksforCanadaseconomic
security.AccordingtotheNationalPrioritiesProject,theUShasspentover$750millionon
militaryactionagainstISISthusfar,withsomewarssuchasthewarinIraqcostingover
$800billion.Forperspective,figuresfromSIPRIsuggestthatCanadasdefensebudgetwas
$22.6billionin2012.Gettinginvolvedinawarentailsverylargecostsandfinancialtroublefor
Canada.
TheactionsoftheHarpergovernmentdonotreflectCanadianvalues.Sending
specializedforcesandescalatingtowardsdeployingattackaircraftsputsthesafetyof
Canadiansatanincreasedriskofdanger,erodescertainpartsofCanadiandemocracy,and
giveswayforpotentialpitfallsinthefederalbudget.