During an interview with CBC last Tuesday, Liberal party Leader Justin Trudeau stated his intention to cancel the bombing missions in Iraq and Syria that currently constitute Canada’s main contribution in the war against the Islamic State (ISIS). 

“This government has failed miserably to demonstrate why the best mission for Canada is to participate in a bombing mission,” he explained, pledging instead to focus on training Iraqi forces.

Three days later, terrorists struck in Tunisia, France and Kuwait, leaving more than 60 people dead. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks in Sousse, Tunisia, and Kuwait City, while the gruesome beheading of a chemical plant manager near Lyon, France, bore a strong resemblance to the sort of “lone wolf” attacks endorsed by ISIS. 

For Trudeau, it was perhaps a case of bad timing, but even so, the Liberal leader isn’t alone in suggesting Canada’s mission against ISIS in Iraq and Syria has failed, or at least not yielded the desired results. And as ISIS continues to gain ground in its battle to establish a new caliphate, it may very well be time to reconsider the most effective way Canada can assist in the fight to stop it.

Still, Trudeau’s proposal appears to miss an integral point: the war against ISIS is not only being waged in Iraq and Syria. It is being fought around the world, and as last week’s terror trio shows, everyone is at risk. 

In the same interview, Trudeau also announced plans to reopen Canada’s embassy in Iran, should he be elected prime minister. “I’m fairly certain that there are ways to re-engage,” he said, referring to the Conservative government’s decision in 2012 to shutter its embassy in Tehran and expel Iranian diplomats from Canada. 

Liberal officials have since sought to clarify their leader’s remarks. “The Iranian regime represents a threat to Israel, the Middle East and the world,” Trudeau’s director of communications, Kate Purchase, told CJN reporter Paul Lungen, “and we continue to be seriously concerned by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“As Mr. Trudeau has long stated, our objective remains a comprehensive agreement that ensures Iran cannot acquire a nuclear weapon… Iran must be held to account for both its long-standing record of human rights abuses as well as its nuclear program,” she added. (For more, please see page 8.) 

That is well stated, but also calls into question Trudeau’s estimation as to why Canada’s embassy was closed in the first place. In 2012, then-foreign minister John Baird explained the government’s decision, saying, “Canada views the government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today.” By contrast, Trudeau told the CBC last week, “As I understand it, there were security concerns that led to the closing of the mission.”

Meanwhile, negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program are heading into overtime, and the major sticking point remains the level of access monitors will have to Iran’s nuclear sites. But if Iran has nothing to hide, what harm could there be in granting unfettered investigation to international nuclear experts? Should Justin Trudeau sincerely wish to re-engage with Iran, he might consider beginning the process by asking that very question. — YONI