Canada is optimistic that it will receive assistance from its NATO allies in the Afghanistan mission, says Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
"We believe the French responded quite positively and we're awaiting a further decision," MacKay told CTV's Question Period on Sunday from his home riding in New Glasgow, N.S.
MacKay was speaking of the Paris meeting attended by members of the prime minister's staff and the Department of National Defence, which was a follow-up to his prior discussions with French Defence Minister Herve Morin.
The French government has indicated that it may contribute 700 or more paratroopers to the effort.
MacKay returned to Canada on Sunday from a corresponding meeting with U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates and his other foreign counterparts in Vilnius, Lithuania.
A day after Gates' stern warning to members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, most of whom have not contributed any of their combined 3 million troops to the Afghanistan effort, MacKay said the meeting was "informative and realistic."
"We had an opportunity talk openly about the transformation of NATO, which is ongoing," MacKay said. "There is concern of course that we have what's been deemed by some to be a two-tier NATO evolving.
"We're hoping other countries will join the (Regional Command South) countries (in southern Afghanistan), and we'll be able to operate in a more fulsome way, which is the way the alliance was initially set up."
MacKay said he made it "very clear" that the Canadian government intends to adopt the recommendations of the Manley Report.
"We have certain contingencies that we're looking for," he said. "Equipment mainly, and of course the commitment of 1,000 troops.
"We reached out to a number of countries, NATO allies and non-NATO allies. And we're looking at the full spectrum--yes, the issue of military commitments and troops, but we're there doing humanitarian work, we're there doing diplomatic work. It's the whole of government, whole of NATO approach that we need to enhance," MacKay said.
Some feel there is no longer a common ground within NATO, as demonstrated by the lack of support for the mission by some its members. But MacKay said there are other contributing factors.
"There are things like constitutions, coalition governments, caveats, all of those in place. Do we like that? No. Would we prefer that countries like Germany and Spain and others come forward? Yes, by all means. And those discussions, those very pointed discussions took place and will continue. But in the meantime, Canada has a very important role to play," he said.
When asked if any of Canada's allies would provide support beyond a military role, such as sharing the cost, MacKay said that "there were a lot of detailed discussions. These provincial reconstruction teams, the effort to do more on the training side, that's not only for Afghan national army, but for police as well."
Germany, he pointed out, is already involved in the training of Afghan police and various development projects, but all in the north.
"So it's an issue of the geographic commitment as much as it is the monetary and military commitment," he said. "We would like to see larger, capable countries, preferably a single partner, come to Kandahar province and work with us in the efforts in what is a province that is tantamount to the funnel for the insurgency -- the Taliban coming in through the Pakistan border."
MacKay indicated that the timelines for Canada's demands are "tight."
"February 09 is the current Parliamentary mandate," he said. "That's what the Manley report speaks of. That independent panel called for the contribution of equipment, helicopters and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)."
As an example of the progress that has been made, MacKay pointed to the Polish foreign minister's announcement that it would contribute two helicopters to the mission.
"This is an international mission that requires the full effort of NATO. We have to be insistent on that. I think we've have to be very direct in putting our position forward. The response, I believe, was positive. Now we'll have to wait and see," MacKay said.
Detainees
On the subject of the handing over of detainees by Canadian to troops to Afghan authorities, MacKay said that that will be an operational decision made in the field by Canada's military command.
"I did have direct discussions with my counterpart, (Afghan defence minister, General Abdul Rahim) Wardak," he said. "I made it known to him again as I did initially when these issues first arose that it was a precondition for Canada to have assurances that they were doing everything they should be doing in terms of protection prisoners from abuse, and he gave assurances in that regard."
Election issue
MacKay doesn't believe the Afghan mission should be an election issue, or even a political one.
"This shouldn't be a partisan issue, it shouldn't be an election issue," he said. "It should be something that Canadians should rally behind. We're hopeful that we're going to see that kind of backing in the days ahead."
