For all the fine talk about the Liberal government “bringing Canada back to peacekeeping,” the calculation has always been how to minimize the commitment while still appearing to do something. But the opposition’s calls last year to hold a parliamentary vote on a deployment to Africa now look faintly ridiculous. Even peacekeeping is now considered too dangerous for the Canadian Forces — we are happy to enable soldiers from emerging nations to take those risks. But Trudeau is probably correct in judging it politically toxic for even one Canadian soldier to come home in a body bag. There hasn’t been a Canadian military unit rotated in a UN peace operation since 2001; the number of uniforms committed to missions is the lowest in 40 years.

Source: National Post November 15, 2017 23:33 UTC