Canada knew ‘from the beginning’ CAF would not help attack Iran: minister – National
Defense Minister David McGuinty said on Tuesday that Canada’s decision not to participate in a US and Israeli military attack on Iran was clear “from the start” of the war two weeks ago, while insisting that the position would not change.
During a press event in Brampton, Ont., highlighting Canada’s military aid to Ukraine, McGuinty was asked about the resignation Tuesday of US National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent, who said he “cannot in good conscience” return the war to the Trump administration because “Iran has not posed an imminent threat” to the US.
McGuinty told reporters he was not aware of Kent’s resignation but suggested he “made a strategic decision, I think.”
“Look, the United States is going to find a way forward on this with Israel,” he said. “Regarding Canada’s position, we are looking at this closely. We are following it hour by hour. It is a very dynamic situation, so we are very careful in taking steps in any direction.
“But for us, from the beginning, it was clear that joining this regarding the prosecution of the war in a torturous way would not be possible.”
McGuinty reiterated the federal government’s position that Ottawa was not contacted before the US and Israel launched war on Iran, that Canada “has not participated in this conflict, and Canada has no intention of doing so.”
“We have team members [Canadian Armed Forces] in the region, but they are not involved in the prosecution of this war,” he said when asked if there are any CAF members currently deployed in non-combat or defense roles, such as radar planes working in cooperation with the US.
He said he could not reveal much more about Canadian military operations in the region due to security reasons.
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“It is very important that we, first of all, focus on the Canadians in this region who want to leave this region,” he said. “Secondly, it’s very important to me as the minister of defense to make sure that we protect, we keep our forces vulnerable.”
McGuinty said on Monday that Canada is “leaving the door open” to offer assistance to any Gulf nation that needs help to defend against an attack by Iran, but has so far received no such requests.
That help is not guaranteed, he said on Tuesday.
“If the neighboring regions need help, we will see,” he said. “But we will watch this hour by hour, day by day, and we will govern ourselves accordingly.”
NATO allies, including Canada, have been under pressure this week from US President Donald Trump to help the US protect the vital trade corridor the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks on commercial shipping and oil shipments.
Foreign Minister Anita Anand said earlier on Tuesday that NATO had not yet received a formal request for aid, and Trump said that most NATO allies had withdrawn his public demands.
Anand said he agreed with Prime Minister Mark Carney that the US attack on Iran may have violated international law, but added that it also applies to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
McGuinty on Tuesday also responded to criticism from the Conservatives that the government and the military did not disclose the strike that destroyed the Kuwaiti air base used by the CAF until a week later.
“With all due respect to our colleagues in the Conservative party, we will lead operational experts, Canadian Armed Forces experts, with a mission to be very conscious of the security of the Canadian Armed Forces on the ground,” he said.
“I think it’s up to the Conservative Party to explain why it might want to pursue information or reveal information that might compromise that protection.”
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