OTTAWA—Lebanon and Jordan are at a critical “tipping point” and need more Canadian help in order to survive the pressure of the Syrian civil war, says Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion.
That’s why Canada will beef up its military and diplomatic presence in the two countries as part of its reconfigured contribution to the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic militants in the region, Dion said in an interview.
Dion discussed the expanded mission as his cabinet colleague, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, began two days of meetings on Feb. 10 with his NATO counterparts in Brussels.
The NATO meeting marked the first interaction between a Canadian cabinet minister and allies following the release of the government’s new strategy for helping fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
The Liberal government followed through on its plan to withdraw its six CF-18 fighter jets, which will stop bombing by Feb. 22.
But the government also announced increased resources for Lebanon and Jordan, small countries that are buckling under the pressure of the influx of millions of fleeing Syrians.
“They are at the tipping point,” Dion said.
“We need to help them because if Lebanon and Jordan are not stable countries it will be very bad for the region, for all our allies, including Israel.”
