Stephen Harper says the party would meet the new commitment over four years by targeting refugees from religious minority groups in the region who face persecution or the threat of extremist violence.
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Harper said some people live in “daily fear of imprisonment, torture and death”, particularly in areas where the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) operates.
According to Harper’s plan, these declared areas would include regions within foreign countries where entities such as Islamic State are engaged in hostile activities and recruiting and training followers.
“ISIS, left to its own devices, will create millions, tens of millions of refugees and victims on a monthly basis”, he said.
“We were witnessing mass slaughter at an alarming, lightning pace that was sweeping across the region”, Harper said. “We are a country that can contribute militarily and in a humanitarian sense and we are doing both”.
Trudeau dismissed that as political posturing.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair was in Toronto for the launch of his new autobiography, “Strength of Conviction”, before heading to Montreal.
“Quebecers are exhausted of Mr. Harper and they need a new prime minister”, Trudeau said.
The Islamic State has attacked religious shrines and executed minorities in Iraq and Syria, where the extremist militant group has seized a significant amount of territory and declared a caliphate under Sharia law.
Then in January, the government committed to a further 10,000 resettlements over the next three years, but has steadfastly refused to say how many have actually arrived in Canada.
Canada’s government unveiled an initiative to support minorities in the Middle East who are being threatened by the Islamic State, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced via Twitter on Monday.
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On Sunday, Harper said a newly-elected Conservative government would introduce a legal crackdown on so-called terror tourism and go after Canadians who travel to such areas.
