Canadian Parliament authorizes air strikes in Iraq
TORONTO - Canada's Parliament voted Tuesday to authorize airstrikes against the Islamic State militant group in Iraq following a US request.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative Party introduced the motion last week and it was debated this week. Harper has a majority of seats in Parliament so the vote was all but assured. The motion passed 157-134.
The motion authorizes air strikes in Iraq for up to six months and explicitly states that no ground troops be used in combat operations.
The combat mission includes up to six CF-18 fighter jets, a refueling tanker aircraft, two surveillance planes and one airlift aircraft. About 600 airmen and airwomen will be involved.
