The House of Commons must be the venue where Canadian involvement in the battle against ISIS, which has taken control of vast areas of Syria and Iraq, is debated.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised that military involvements involving combat would be subject to a Commons vote when he put Canada’s further involvement in Afghanistan to a vote in 2007. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has now committed that any expansion of Canada’s military involvement in combating ISIS will also come to the House.
A careful study of Canada’s history shows that Parliament is the very best place to make final decisions on military missions. One hundred years ago, Canada was automatically at war when Great Britain decided to declare war on Germany. This country was in for the long haul, and more than 66,000 soldiers lost their lives in what is widely seen as one of history’s most futile and destructive wars.
In contrast, the decision to enter the Second World War was made by Parliament. While that commitment ended up being even more total than in the First World War, it was managed in a far better way, and the cause was one that was worth fighting for.
The same can be said for combat against ISIS. The organization has no redeeming principles or values, and indeed its followers are slaughtering many Muslims, as well as adherents of other faiths, for no reason.
Canada was right not to go to war against Iraq in 2003, but this is a very different matter. Nonetheless, the final decision needs to be made by MPs — not by the cabinet.
