Canada’s Prime Minister Elect, Justin Trudeau, has promised to follow through on his campaign promise to pull the country out of the US led bombing campaign against ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq.
Mr Trudeau, who led the Liberal Party to a stunning victory in elections on Tuesday, said that he had already told US President, Barack Obama of his plans.
The Prime Minister is expected to take office in the coming weeks, replacing conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who sent Canadian warplanes to carry out airstrikes against ISIS.
Canada’s bombing raids started hitting the Islamic extremist group’s positions in Iraq in November 2014 and expanded into Syria in April.
During his first press conference with Parliament Hill journalists as Prime Minister-Designate, Trudeau revealed he’ll announce a cabinet on November 4 that will also be the day Trudeau officially become Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister.
The Liberal Leader reiterated his plan to have gender equality around the cabinet table and said it would be smaller than Harper’s last cabinet. He said it was important to get a cabinet appointed as quickly as possible so the Liberals can start governing.
In March, Parliament approved a 12-month extension of the bombing mission and a related training effort in northern Iraq. The motion was adopted thanks to the Conservatives’ majority in the House. Both the Liberals and NDP opposed it.
Trudeau had also promised during the campaign that his first order of business when Parliament resumed would be to cut income taxes for middle-class earners. He also said his priority was “to make Parliament work and bring it back as quickly as is reasonable.” He said his team was looking at appropriate dates and times.
There was some suggestion that a number of international summits scheduled through November and early December could delay the resumption of Parliament. But while Trudeau confirmed his attendance at the UN climate change conference in Paris, his attendance at the others, including the G20, appeared up in the air.
