Canada promises France a 'robust' contribution in anti-ISIS coalition - Action News
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Politics

Canada promises France a 'robust' contribution in anti-ISIS coalition

France's Ambassador to Canada Nicolas Chapuis says Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan promised him that Canada's contribution to the U.S.-led mission against ISIS will be 'robust and helpful,' as the Liberal government looks to retool its strategy in Iraq and Syria.

French Ambassador Nicolas Chapuis meets with Canada's Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan

French ambassador on Paris attacks

9 years ago
Duration 10:38
France's ambassador to Canada Nicolas Chapuis discusses the Paris attacks and the fight against ISIS

Canada's contribution to the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS will continue to be "robust"and "helpful,"says France's ambassador to Canadaabout the reassurances given to him as the Liberal government looks to retool its strategy in Iraq and Syria.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeauannounced on Tuesday that Canada will send morespecial forces membersto Iraqto help train local soldiers to fight ISIS.

Canada has 69 Canadian special forces members there nowtraining Kurdish forces and the Iraqi military.

France's ambassador to Canada, Nicolas Chapuis, said he's been assured that Canada will remain an ally in the fight against ISIS.

In an interview onCBC News Network's Power & Politics,Chapuis said he met with Canada's Defence MinisterHarjit Sajjanon Tuesday.

Chapuis said Sajjan assured him that Canada would remain a part of the coalition against ISIS, even as the Liberal government looks tomove ahead with its campaign promise to wind down the country's participation in airstrikes.

"He totally reassured me on the intent of the government of Canadathat the contribution will be robust and will be helpful," Chapuis told host Rosemary Barton on Tuesday.

"We understand the cabinet's intent," said Chapuis "and we'll see when the decisionsare taken, we'll see if it needs further consultation."

"It is in standing united that we will be victorious against this cancer," said the French ambassador in the wake of the attacks in Paris.

No change in Canada's terror threat level

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodalesaid he has been in "non-stop"contact with CSIS,Canada's main spyagency, theRoyalCanadian Mounted Policeand the CanadaBorderServices Agencysince the attacks last Friday.

"We are making certain that the department and all of the affiliated agencies are doing everything possible to make sure Canadians are safe and, obviously, collaborating as well with our international partners to make sure that this is an effective global effort."

"When something like this happens in an allied country," Goodale said, "they redouble their efforts."

Refugee security screening

9 years ago
Duration 12:20
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale addresses security concerns over the government's plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year

Goodale told Barton the country's main security agencies were monitoring the situation closely and so far had found no reason to raise Canada's terror threat level.

"They havenot identified any event, activityor new developmentthat would change the risk assessment or the threat assessment but we stay alert."

The Liberals have promised to repeal certainsections of Bill C-51, a controversialanti-terror bill passed into law by the previous government.

"This is a very troubling situation," he said, "and we want to be absolutely certain that we're doing everything that we can possibly do to keep Canadians safe and to do so in a way that respects Canadian values and the kind of country that we are."

Canada's contribution to the allied mission will be front and centrewhen Trudeau meetswith U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday.