Despite a growing perception that the United Nations-sanctioned NATO mission in Libya has evolved beyond its original objectives, Canada's foreign affairs minister says its overall purpose remains the same.
While NATO initially worked to establish a no-fly zone to protect civilians from forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi, it appears that the mission has shifted its focus to removing Gadhafi from power.
"The military mission hasn't changed, we're obviously there to protect civilians," Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in an interview with CTV's Question Period on Sunday.
When pressed to explain whether that means directly targeting Libya's embattled leader Moammar Gadhafi, Baird was less clear.
"It is a reality on the political level that the people of Libya, including the rebels, won't be safe as long as Col. Gadhafi is there. So the political objective, obviously, is we'd like to see him go," he said.
The fierce bombing campaign against Gadhafi's compounds in the capital Tripoli, Baird added, are not aimed at killing the dictator, but rather at disabling his military capabilities.
"It's dealing with command and control of the armed forces which are persecuting civilians on the ground and that's what it's all about."
NATO's strategy will be up for debate when a motion to extend Canada's mission by three-and-a-half-months is put to Parliamentarians this week.
Baird's "loose talk" on the mission did little to convince NDP defence critic Jack Harris, as he explained that his party initially supported UN resolution 1973 and its mandate to establish a no-fly zone over the restive North African nation.
With air control long since established, however, Harris questions what comes next.
"No one is in love with Mr. Gadhafi and at the end of the day when this ceasefire is achieved and we have to have a new situation in Libya there's going to be significant change," he said.
"But it's not from our point of view to have a mission designed to effect regime change by force. That's totally inconsistent in our view with (resolution) 1973 and we want to be sure that Canada's not signing on to that."
Liberal MP John McKay agreed, going a step farther in his criticism.
"It's not at all clear to me what Mr. Baird or Mr. Harper have in mind with respect to where do we go from here," he said. "We have a collection of jihadists and thugs that appear to have achieved some level of control in various parts of the country, but that doesn't seem to be a very appetizing alternative to the current form of government."
When the mission began three months ago, Canada committed to providing a frigate, six jet fighters, as well as refuelling and surveillance aircraft in order establish and enforce air control as well as to protect civilians.
But the mission's shifting objectives were brought into focus last week, when Defence Minister Peter MacKay said that protecting civilians remains a priority, but added that "Gadhafi must leave for those objectives to be achieved."
As McKay explained, the Liberals will be looking for some specifics.
"It would be really good if the prime minister would lay forth some plan, particularly in the areas of diplomacy and aid ... as to what we're going to be doing for the next three months, because in three months he may be back asking parliament for the same sort of thing."
