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Liberals need to discussCanadas Middle East mission, says McCallum.

By Kevin Werner, News Staff

Federal Liberal MP John McCallum said the party needs to talk aboutCanadas continued military mission in the Middle East to decide on its future if the Liberals form the next government.

McCallum, who was in Hamilton Jan. 22 after attending the Liberals two-day caucus meeting in London, Ont. said the party voted against Canada joining the coalition to fight against the Islamic State last October. But as ISIS has grown, and after the terrorist attacks on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and Paris, the Liberals need to have discussions among its members if the mission is extended.

We are extremely serious about security issues, including the war against ISIS, said McCallum, who represents the area of Markham-Unionville. That also includes having to deal with homegrown terrorists, people from Canada going to fight in Syria, Iraq. We certainly have to address these concerns.

Those security issues will be front and centre as Parliament reconvenes this week. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promised to introduce tougher national security-related legislation. He did introduce Bill C-44 that would boost Canadian Security Intelligence Services powers, and Bill C-13 that would provide increased surveillance and tracking abilities for the RCMP.

While McCallum was in Hamilton meeting with city officials, Harper was in St. Catharines praising Canadas Special Forces after recently getting into a firefight with ISIS while on a training mission.

Let me be clear, Harper told the assembled media. This is a robust mission. Were there to make those guys effective so they can take on the Islamic State and deal with them.

McCallum acknowledged the Liberals and NDP dont know what legislation Harper is toying with to introduce in the House of Commons. But he said the Liberals will take these challenges very seriously, whether we agree with the specific measures that Harper is about to propose, I dont know.

But we are not shying away from that one little bit.

Originally posted here:
Liberals need to discussCanadas Middle East mission, says McCallum.