OTTAWA — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says Canada will host a peacekeeping summit next year, even as Conservative MPs accuse the government of playing politics with Canadian troops.
Sajjan made the announcement at this year's summit in London, where defence ministers from around the world have gathered to pledge their support for peacekeeping and discuss the challenges of such missions.
The minister has also reaffirmed Canada's pledge to make up to 600 troops available for future peace operations, though he again stopped short of saying where they would go.
That has become the central question, as the government doubles down on its pledge to return to peacekeeping.
Meanwhile, in Ottawa, Conservative defence critics are expressing opposition to a Canadian peacekeeping mission in Africa.
Defence critic James Bezan accuses the Liberals of re-engaging with peacekeeping simply to fulfil Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's desire to win a seat on the UN Security Council.
Bezan said Canadian troops should only be deployed into war zones when it is the national interest and not to meet a political agenda.
He also expressed concerns about a repeat of Rwanda or Bosnia, saying the UN hasn't proven that it can effectively manage peacekeeping missions.
SAJJAN SAYS SUBMARINES CRITICAL FOR DEFENCE, BUT NO DECISION ON UPGRADES
OTTAWA — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says the navy's submarines play a critical role in Canada's defence.
But he says no decision has been made on what to do with the four vessels as the clock ticks down on their useful lives.
Documents obtained by the Canadian Press show that the first submarine will reach the end of its service life in 2022, with the other three retiring one by one until 2027.
The navy estimates that extending their usefulness would cost between $1.5 billion and $3 billion, depending on the upgrades that are made and how long they are to remain in service.
But any investment is likely to stoke controversy, as the submarines have been plagued by technical problems since they were bought used from the United Kingdom in 1998.
Sajjan also says the government is looking at information submitted by various fighter jet companies to replace Canada's CF-18s, but would not say when a decision will be made.
