Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canadians can be proud their forces played a role in the successful NATO mission in Libya, which will come to an end Monday.
Reacting to news that NATO would wrap up its efforts in Libya next week, Harper offered his personal congratulations to Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, the Canadian who led the months-long mission.
"He has represented our country with distinction," Harper said in a statement issued Friday.
The prime minister said Canada had no choice but to get involved with the NATO mission in Libya, when it was clear what Gadhafi was doing to the civilians who were rising up against his iron-fisted rule.
"We saw a blatant wrong being perpetrated by a brutal regime and took a leadership role with our allies to help set it right," said Harper.
"As a result, Colonel Gadhafi's 42 years of oppression have come to an end and Libyans now have every opportunity to create a more secure, just and peaceful country."
The mission began in March, when NATO began helping enforce a no-fly zone over Libya and taking military action to protect civilians.
When declaring an official end date to the mission, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Friday that the military organization could be proud of what it had achieved in the past eight months.
"We launched this complex operation faster than ever before. We conducted it effectively, flexibly and precisely with many partners from the region and beyond," Rasmussen said. "And now we are concluding it in a considered and controlled manner -- because our military job is now done."
The end of the mission comes less than two weeks after Gadhafi was killed.
As Libyans now work towards building a new democracy in the post-Gadhafi era, Rasmussen said its people should know that "the world stands with them" in their pursuit of a more stable future.
"NATO stands ready to help, if needed and requested," he said.
"To help Libyans reform the security and defence institutions that all democracies need to remain free and safe."
With files from The Associated Press
