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A promise worth breaking

Removing our CF18s from the war zone will do unnecessary damage to our relationship with the U.S. and other members of the coalition

Unlike the vast majority of his predecessors, Prime Minister Trudeau has been keeping promises he made during the election campaign. No doubt there are some who will deem his actions are the result of naive idealism, but continuing down this path will go a long way toward reducing the cynicism the electorate harbours for all politicians, regardless of stripe.

However, there are instances where happenings or conditions change the viability of keeping a promise. Such is the case with the events of Nov. 13 in Paris and the downing of the jet over the Sinai the week before.

Mr. Trudeau wants to restore or improve upon the world’s perception of Canada to that which existed prior to our previous government. Removing our CF18s from the war zone only because it was a small plank in his Liberal platform will not serve that purpose. It will do unnecessary damage to our relationship with the U.S. and other members of the coalition at a time when Russia has aligned its purpose to defeat ISIS rather than support the Syrian regime.

This is one promise that should not be kept today – only postponed.

Dave Fowler

Saanich