Canada’s defence chief Gen. Jennie Carignan mentioned allies are in talks about presumably serving to Persian Gulf states defend themselves towards bombing from Iran.
Talking to reporters at a defence and safety convention in Ottawa Thursday, Carignan mentioned a gathering is about for early Friday morning to talk about such a proposal amongst allied militaries and the Canadian Armed Forces would current a advice to the federal government.
“The Gulf states should additionally point out what they want,” Carignan mentioned in French. “We’re in communication with them to get an thought of the wants as a result of it’s clear that in the event that they don’t want us… we gained’t take a look at choices to help them.”
She didn’t specify what sort of help this may contain however mentioned Canada will not be participating within the U.S. bombing of Iran.
“We’re not speaking about collaborating (in) Epic Fury, per se,” she mentioned. “This isn’t a mission that we’re contemplating. Nevertheless, our Gulf companions might require defence and help, so, inside that context, these can be the varieties of military choices that we might take into account.”
The Canadian Press requested remark from the Prime Minister’s Workplace, however was referred to National Defence.
Carignan’s feedback come because the Conservatives name for a parliamentary debate earlier than any kind of Canadian military deployment within the ongoing struggle.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned in Australia Thursday — Wednesday in Canada — that Canada can’t “categorically” rule out military participation within the escalating battle within the Center East.
He added that Canada’s potential future involvement is a “basic hypothetical” and that Ottawa will stand by its allies.
The Conservatives are calling for a parliamentary debate earlier than any kind of Canadian military deployment to the continuing struggle in Iran.
“It ought to be up to Parliament itself to say yea or nay on whether or not or not we’re ever going to be deploying our troops right into a battle,” Conservative defence critic James Bezan informed reporters on Thursday in Ottawa. “Let’s have the dialog the place it ought to be, in public so there’s transparency, within the Home of Commons.”
The prime minister initially expressed unequivocal help for the U.S. commencing airstrikes on Iran final weekend — then mentioned later he did so with “remorse” as a result of the bombing marketing campaign appears inconsistent with worldwide regulation.
Bezan argued these shifts make no sense — and neither does Ottawa’s insistence on a diplomatic answer to finish the airstrikes it had endorsed.
The MP overseeing defence procurement, Stephen Fuhr, mentioned he had not been a part of discussions on any attainable military involvement in Iran.
“The area’s very unstable and there’s a battle occurring there, so Canada will decide on what that appears like for Canada,” he informed reporters.
Lt.-Gen. Steve Boivin, commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command, informed reporters at a defence and safety convention in Ottawa Thursday that there are about 200 Armed Forces members deployed to the Center East on six operations.
Boivin disclosed the quantity after Defence Minister David McGuinty and his division refused to supply a determine earlier within the week.
A few of these troops have been moved to one other nation within the area, Boivin mentioned, and a few have been introduced again to Canada because the struggle broke out.
Canadian Joint Operations Command is the unit that will be known as upon to assist the federal authorities within the occasion of an evacuation or assisted departure of residents within the space.
Boivin mentioned there aren’t any Canadian Navy vessels or Air Power planes within the area to assist with such a mission presently. He mentioned the military is within the means of sending six liaison officers to the Center East in case it’s requested to assist.
International Affairs Canada mentioned in a press release Thursday night that, as of March 5, greater than 107,000 Canadian residents and everlasting residents have been registered within the Center East.
It mentioned the variety of individuals in its voluntary Registration of Canadian Overseas system will not be reflective of the precise variety of Canadians in a sure nation nor does it replicate whether or not or not they really want to go away.
The assertion mentioned International Affairs Canada is engaged on “a variety of choices” to help the potential departure of Canadians from a number of international locations within the Center East, by each land and air, “the place situations enable and when it’s secure to accomplish that.”
The division mentioned it’s working to safe constitution flights or seats on industrial flights for Canadians within the area, to be made out there within the coming days.
“This shall be depending on the safety scenario, together with viability of the airspace,” the assertion learn.
— With recordsdata from Sarah Ritchie and Catherine Morrison
© 2026 The Canadian Press
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