The threat of ISIS and its unfortunate lure to the misguided youth around the world has become clearer than ever as France and the United States were shaken by cowardly acts of terror. Paris which saw the biggest attack on its soil since World War II random was soon followed by California’s seemingly well adjusted immigrant couple revealing their true monstrous identity.
All of this meaningless violence has shaken the world to its very core and every nation have stood as one in condemning the perpetrators behind this cowardly act.
The thing to remember about these attacks that reverberated around the world is that even though the number of people who lost their lives is high, there have been higher numbers in other attacks around the world. Paris, however, is a city that is considered to be the cultural capital of the western world and a strike at some of its most recognizable spots is an attack at western civilization itself. Similarly, the modus operandi followed in USA seems to be almost indefensible.
These unfortunate attacks have changed public opinion in Canada and may cause the Trudeau government to pull back on some of its planned measures due to public backlash.
I believe that the government finds itself stuck in between pressure to follow through on its pre-poll promises and rapidly changing sentiment. Prime Minister Trudeau will be well aware of the challenges that lie ahead of him especially as he tries to shepherd 25000 Syrian immigrants into the country before the start of next year.
The process of reduction of far reaching anti-terror laws and surveillance capabilities of the government will also take a hit. The conservatives too have a point which is hard to argue against as the current climate may not be the most amenable to reducing the amount of information that is being collected by intelligence agencies.
French President Hollande has declared war on ISIS in the wake of the attack and may ask his allies, including Canada, to increase their involvement in the Syrian war. This would put Prime Minister Trudeau in a tight spot as he has publicly stated his intent to bring Canadian Soldiers back home and reduce the number of air strikes being carried out by Canadian aircraft.
It would also be prudent for the liberal government to take a step back and re-evaluate some of the plans it has made. The intention to safe guard civil liberties is a noble one but it cannot come at the cost of making the country’s borders more porous or hamper the intelligence gathering capabilities of security agencies. This is the only way in way attacks like those seen in California can be prevented.
The harsh reality is that not everyone shares the same values and principles on which Canada is built and terrorist organizations like ISIS actively seek to destroy it. While we would all like to see our soldiers back home, they may still have a vital role to play in defeating the scourge of terrorism.
The leader of opposition, Rona Ambrose, has called on the Prime Minister and asked him to support their allies in time of war and ensure that Canadian fighter jets continue operations in Syria. Such a stance would be an about turn from Trudeau’s stated policies, however Ambrose has assured him that he would have complete support of the opposition if he does decide to go down this route.
Canada has to make a decision whether it wants to continue its current role in the war against ISIS or maybe step up support to its allies away from the battlefield. The option of pretending nothing is wrong and that it does not concern Canada is no longer on the table.
Copyright © 2015 by Aditya Tawatia, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means.
