Opposition leaders blast Carney's absence from Iran war debate

OTTAWA — Opposition leaders blasted Prime Minister Mark Carney for missing a debate on Canada’s position on the war in Iran and the Middle East on Monday evening amid sharp criticism about Carney’s evolving position on the conflict.

On Sunday, Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said the Liberals had proposed to opposition parties that MPs host an emergency debate on the hostilities in the Middle East, including the war between the U.S., Israel and Iran, on Monday evening.

That debate is expected to go ahead, though Carney’s office said he will not attend because he is expected to attend a community iftar, or breaking of the fast during the Muslim observance of Ramadan.

Carney’s office downplayed his absence because it is a “take note” debate (which allows MPs to share their views of the topic being debated), but opposition party leaders were swift to condemn his absence on Monday.

“That is unacceptable after changing positions, by our account, four times,” charged NDP interim leader Don Davies.

“Canadians deserve to have a clear statement from the prime minister in this house to be accountable not only to parliamentarians, but to the Canadian public and to clarify what the position of Canada and his Liberal government really is.”

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused Carney of hiding from accountability from parliamentarians.

“He should stop hiding, and share in the House of Commons at home his position and how he will protect Canadians,” Poilievre said in French.

Christine Normandin, the Bloc Québécois’ house leader, told reporters that Carney’s absence shows his “disinterest” in the work of Parliament and accountability.

The “take note” debate comes after a week of evolving positioning by Carney on the conflict which began with missile strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran just over one week ago that killed much of Iran’s senior leadership.

U.S. President Donald Trump has since upped his rhetoric against Iran, which is accused of supporting terrorist groups across the region such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen.

In an initial statement, Carney said he supported the strikes. But then questioned on their legality during his travel to Australia and then Japan last week, his government kept nuancing its position, eventually settling on Carney saying he supported the strikes “with regret.”

“It appears that these actions are inconsistent with international law,” Carney said while in Australia last week.

Carney’s changing position has raised the hackles of opposition parties and even within his own caucus.

Liberal MP Will Greaves, who represents a riding in Victoria, B.C., publicly criticized Carney’s stance on the strikes , citing international law.

“Canada cannot endorse the unilateral and illegal use of military force, the killing of civilians, or the kidnap and assassination of foreign heads of government, while also insisting that our sovereignty, our rights, and our independence must be respected,” he said in a video posted on YouTube, on Feb. 28.

Last Friday, Foreign Minister Anita Anand also briefed the Liberal caucus on the government’s position on the escalating Middle East conflict after days of confusion.

On Monday, Poilievre told reporters he would attend the evening’s debate and reaffirmed his party’s support for the joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.

He also called on the Liberals to cancel the Clean Fuel Standard in the face of rising oil prices due to the war in Iran.

“We support the action to overturn the regime, because this is a regime that has killed Canadians,” Poilievre said. “This is the biggest state sponsor of terror in the world.”

“The prime minister could get rid of his newly renamed carbon tax, the clean the so-called Clean Fuel Standard, which he estimates adds seven cents a litre to gas. Why not get rid of that tax, lower the gas price a little bit?,” he added.

NDP interim leader Don Davies accused the Liberals of having an unprincipled and contradictory position on the war in Iran, which he said is replete with “repeated and continuing wartimes”.

“New Democrats tonight will be expressing our position, calling on this government to clearly condemn what is an illegal attack on Iran and to name it for what it is, which is an illegal attack that is in violation of the UN Charter,” Davies said.

“Second, we’re calling on this government to make a clear statement that Canadian troops and resources will not be used in the prosecution of this illegal war.”

National Post, with files from Jordan Gowling.

cnardi@postmedia.com

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