Liberals Lead Emergency Debate on Syrian Conflict amid Threat of Regional Spillover

May 7, 2013

OTTAWA– Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae made the following statement today on his successful request for an Emergency Debate in the House of Commons on the conflict in Syria:

“The threat of a regional spillover of the Syrian conflict is now more likely than ever. In the past several days, Israel has launched airstrikes to prevent the transfer of Iranian-made weapons from the Syrian regime to the terrorist group Hezbollah, and there are very real concerns about the proliferation and use of chemical weapons. Furthermore, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating daily as the number of refugees and internally displaced people grows.

This evening’s Emergency Debate is an opportunity to ask the Canadian government vital questions about the conversations it is having with our allies, what actions it is taking, and equally, to debate the role Canada ought to be playing in the international effort to support the Syrian people.

While the Conservatives are good at telling us what they are not prepared to do, they refuse to provide clear answers on how they will address this increasingly disturbing situation. Canadians deserve to be kept informed as we move forward with our allies in the coming days.”