At least 80 Canadians have come back after participating in terrorist activities

DEVINDER Shory, Conservative MP (Calgary Northeast), on Wednesday made the following statement in response to Parliament approving the combat mission in Iraq:

“Our Conservative Government understands that we have a responsibility to protect Canadians and defend them from those that would seek to harm us. That is why, under the leadership of our Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada is joining the international coalition, led by the United States and President Obama, to severely weaken the terrorist organization ISIL.

“The Liberals, led by Justin Trudeau, believe that Canada should let our allies shoulder the military burden and do nothing.  But if we want Canada to be taken seriously by the international community we must join the United States, Australia, France, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates in airstrikes to weaken ISIL, and allow aide to reach the civilian population.  Even elder Liberal statesmen like former ministers Lloyd Axworthy and Ujjal Dosanjh disagree with Trudeau’s position.

“I know that Canadians have been horrified by the unspeakable acts that ISIL has committed against innocent civilians in the territory it controls – torture, beheading of children and aid workers, rape and selling women into slavery, slaughtering of minorities and groups whose only crime is being or thinking differently from ISIL.  This stands in stark contrast to everything that Canada stands for.

“Not only does ISIL directly threaten the stability and security of the region, but it has also specifically targeted Canada and Canadians, urging supporters to attack ‘disbelieving Canadians in any manner,’ vowing that that we should not feel secure, even in our homes.

“Just today, CSIS testified before a House of Commons committee that at least 80 Canadians have returned to Canada after travelling overseas to train and take part in terrorist activities in the Middle East and Africa.  We must prevent terrorist acts from occurring on Canadian soil.

“Unlike the Opposition Liberals and NDP, I believe that ISIL poses a real threat to Canadians and that if left unchecked this terrorist organization will grow quickly, and so Canada must join our allies and work to weaken and degrade ISIL’s ability to operate.

“It is for all these reasons that I voted in favour of the motion in Parliament in support of the combat mission in Iraq. I am proud that Canada will do its part to combat the threat of ISIL.”