General

Canadian jets join UN mission in Libya

Move may be part of a wider Canadian involvement in enforcing no-fly zone

Canadian CF-18 fighter jets have flown their first mission to enforce a UN no-fly zone over Libya Monday. Departing from a base in Trapani, Italy, the jets did not participate in a bombing mission yet, but that could happen as early as Monday night. The involvement of Canada in a united front—with the U.S., British and French forces—against Libya is expected to trigger a debate in the House of Commons on Canada’s role in the military intervention. The Liberals, NDP and Bloc Québécois have expressed support for the CF-18 deployment, but have also expressed reservations about a broader involvement. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said his party supported “air interdiction” but was not in favour of Canada committing ground troops. Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said in an interview with CBC Radio that Canada is “open to all options” in responding to the Libyan crisis. When asked if that includes “boots on the ground,” he said if that were required to “protect citizens that are being literally murdered by [Libyan leader Moammar] Gadhafi, that’s what the resolution calls for.”

CBC News

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: