Wales, United Kingdom
5 September 2014
Since early 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terror group has been carrying out a murderous rampage across Iraq, seizing territory and systematically killing children, women and men, as well as displacing more than one million Iraqis.
In coordination with its allies and with the Government of Iraq, the Government of Canada is taking action to protect innocent civilians and counter ISIL’s barbaric activities and expansionist agenda, which pose a very real threat to regional and global security.
Canada’s latest actions in Iraq include:
September 5, 2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the deployment of several dozen members of the Canadian Armed Forces to Iraq. Upon receipt of final consent from Iraq, they will join the U.S. in advising the Government of Iraq on how to enable security forces in the northern part of the country to be more effective against the threat posed by ISIL. This will contribute to protecting Iraqi citizens being persecuted by ISIL and help prevent any further escalation of the humanitarian crisis being caused by those fleeing the terrorist group.
September 4, 2014
John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced the distribution of a second round of relief supplies from its emergency stockpile in the United Arab Emirates to meet the immediate needs of people affected by the conflict in Iraq. He also announced an additional $5 million to provide emergency shelter and emergency relief supplies to conflict-affected people in northern Iraq, as well as $2 million to provide urgent health-care services, bringing Canada’s total humanitarian aid to the country to $28 million since the beginning of 2014.
September 3, 2014
John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced a contribution of $15 million in security programming that will directly benefit the people of Iraq. This includes $10 million in non-lethal security assistance for equipment such as helmets, body armour and logistics-support vehicles to assist security forces combating ISIL, and $5 million to support regional efforts to limit the movement of foreign fighters into Iraq and Syria.
August 29, 2014
Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie, announced the deployment of relief supplies from Canada’s emergency stockpile to address the immediate needs of conflict-affected people in northern Iraq and the establishment of a second warehouse of stockpiles in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Minister also announced the allocation of the remaining $2.75 million, from the $5 million announced on August 10, 2014.
August 29, 2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-177 Globemaster III strategic airlifter completed its first delivery of military equipment, donated by the Republic of Albania, to security forces in Iraq fighting ISIL. As of September 3rd, 231,000 pounds of military supplies have been successfully delivered via five flights.
August 25, 2014
Andrew Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom, issued a statement condemning the targeted killings of Iraqi Shiite Muslim worshipers near Baghdad and of Sunni Muslim worshipers in Iraq’s eastern province of Diyala.
August 15, 2014
John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement welcoming the news that Nouri al-Maliki agreed to step aside in support of Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi, paving the way for a unified, representative government capable of confronting the threat posed by ISIL.
August 15, 2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130J Hercules and a CC-177 Globemaster III, along with their crew of approximately 30 Canadian Armed Forces personnel, had been deployed from Canadian Forces Base Trenton to assist in the delivery of critical military supplies from contributing allies to forces fighting ISIL.
August 11, 2014
John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement welcoming the news that Iraqi President Fuad Masoum accepted the nomination of Haider al-Abadi as Iraq’s Prime Minister-designate, an important step toward the formation of an inclusive government.
August 10, 2014
Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie, announced $5 million in humanitarian assistance to address the dire humanitarian needs in northern Iraq.
August 8, 2014
John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement condemning the continued killing of innocent civilians by ISIL and expressing support for supply drops and airstrikes by the United States.
August 7, 2014
John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement regarding ISIL’s killing of innocent civilians in northern Iraq, including women and children from Christian, Yazidi and other religious communities.
July 25, 2014
Andrew Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom, issued a statement condemning the destruction of the tomb of Jonah, a site revered by both Christians and Muslims in Mosul, Iraq, by ISIL.
July 22, 2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement condemning the systematic campaign of persecution being perpetrated in the city of Mosul, Iraq, by ISIL.
